by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 6,024 people earned their degree in geology and earth sciences, making the major the 125th most popular in the United States.
For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major” ranking, we looked at 540 colleges that offer a degree in geology and earth sciences. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in geology and earth sciences.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major” list to help you make the college decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major”.
Out of the 540 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Northland College landed the #1 spot on the list. Northland College is a small school located in Ashland, Wisconsin that handed out 6 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Out of the 540 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Carleton College landed the #2 spot on the list. Carleton College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northfield, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Mississippi State University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major. Mississippi State University is a large public school situated in Mississippi State, Mississippi. It awarded 177 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Mississippi State
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Colorado College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major. Colorado College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Colorado College
Out of the 540 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Bowdoin College landed the #5 spot on the list. Bowdoin College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Brunswick, Maine. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania ranked #6 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Bloomsburg is located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 58 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
Susquehanna University ranked #7 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major list. This small school is located in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 14 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
California Institute of Technology ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 12 degrees to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at California Institute of Technology
Beloit College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #9. Beloit is a small school located in Beloit, Wisconsin that handed out 7 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Bates College ranked #10 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Bates is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lewiston, Maine. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
University of Florida-Online did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #11. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 18 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at University of Florida-Online
With a ranking of #12, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major list. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology is a small public school situated in Socorro, New Mexico. It awarded 7 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Washington and Lee University ranked #13 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Washington and Lee University is located in Lexington, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Washington and Lee University
Occidental College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #14. Occidental College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 9 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Occidental College
With a ranking of #15, Union College New York did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Union College New York is located in Schenectady, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Union College New York
Smith College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Located in Northampton, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 17 degrees to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #17. This small school is located in Rapid City, South Dakota, and it awarded 9 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Geology & Earth Sciences Report
With a ranking of #18, Juniata College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major list. This small school is located in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 5 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Juniata College
St Lawrence University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #19. St. Lawrence is a private not-for-profit institution located in Canton, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at St. Lawrence
Williams College ranked #20 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major list. This small school is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and it awarded 11 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Pacific Lutheran University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. PLU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Tacoma, Washington. It awarded 12 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Fort Lewis College ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major list. FLC is a public institution located in Durango, Colorado. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Fort Lewis College
Hamilton College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Hamilton College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Clinton, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Hamilton College
SUNY Geneseo landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Geneseo, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
The Graduate Center, CUNY landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. The Graduate Center is a medium-sized public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 43 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | MSU Texas | Wichita Falls, TX |
| 52 | Franklin and Marshall College | Lancaster, PA |
| 53 | Western Colorado University | Gunnison, CO |
| 54 | Cornell College | Mount Vernon, IA |
| 55 | Allegheny College | Meadville, PA |
| 56 | Binghamton University | Vestal, NY |
| 57 | East Tennessee State University | Johnson City, TN |
| 58 | University of Hawaii at Hilo | Hilo, HI |
| 59 | Rocky Mountain College | Billings, MT |
| 60 | William & Mary | Williamsburg, VA |
| 61 | Westminster College Utah | Salt Lake City, UT |
| 62 | Sul Ross State University | Alpine, TX |
| 63 | Humboldt State University | Arcata, CA |
| 64 | Augustana College | Rock Island, IL |
| 65 | Pitzer College | Claremont, CA |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Concord University | Athens, WV |
| 67 | Sewanee - The University of the South | Sewanee, TN |
| 68 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte, NC |
| 69 | Amherst College | Amherst, MA |
| 70 | University of Wyoming | Laramie, WY |
| 71 | Brown University | Providence, RI |
| 72 | University of California - Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CA |
| 73 | Edinboro University of Pennsylvania | Edinboro, PA |
| 74 | Ohio Wesleyan University | Delaware, OH |
| 75 | Dickinson College | Carlisle, PA |
| 76 | Furman University | Greenville, SC |
| 77 | Bridgewater State University | Bridgewater, MA |
| 78 | SUNY New Paltz | New Paltz, NY |
| 79 | Frostburg State University | Frostburg, MD |
| 80 | Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs, NY |
| 81 | University of Minnesota - Duluth | Duluth, MN |
| 82 | West Virginia University | Morgantown, WV |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
