2027 Best Value Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in Arizona

[Geology & Earth Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/geological-and-earth-sciences/geology-and-earth-sciences/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for geology & earth sciences students.
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2027 Best Value Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in Arizona
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in geology & earth sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Geology & Earth Sciences Schools
Leading the list is Northern Arizona University, our #1 best value for geology & earth sciences in Arizona. Located in the city of Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,619 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $20,044. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete the geology & earth sciences program here. Geology & Earth Sciences graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median of $42,528 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Arizona State University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value geology & earth sciences schools. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,223, with out-of-state students paying around $33,139. Geology & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $21,842 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geology & earth sciences degree recipients from Arizona State University generally make around $55,876. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Arizona earned it the #3 place for geology & earth sciences. Set in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,573, with out-of-state students paying around $39,903. Typical student debt for geology & earth sciences graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, geology & earth sciences degree recipients from University Of Arizona generally make around $51,943. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.