2026 Best Value Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in Missouri
[Geology & Earth Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/geological-and-earth-sciences/geology-and-earth-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong geology & earth sciences education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for geology & earth sciences students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in Missouri
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in geology & earth sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Geology & Earth Sciences Schools
Our analysis ranked Missouri State University Springfield the best value for a degree in geology & earth sciences in Missouri. Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public school located in the city of Springfield. In-state tuition and fees average $9,502, compared with $18,770 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for geology & earth sciences graduates is $28,000. Early-career geology & earth sciences graduates make about $34,481. Set against $28,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Missouri Columbia earned it the #2 place for geology & earth sciences. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $14,837 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $36,056. Students borrow a median of $21,818 to complete the geology & earth sciences program here. Geology & Earth Sciences graduates of University Of Missouri Columbia earn a median of $53,134 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Washington University In St Louis earned it the #3 place for geology & earth sciences. Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of St. Louis. In-state tuition and fees average $65,790. Geology & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $17,553 in student loans. Early-career geology & earth sciences graduates make about $68,303. Set against $17,553 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 12%.
More Geology & Earth Sciences Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
