2026 Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in North Carolina
Geology & Earth Sciences degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for geology & earth sciences students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Geology & Earth Sciences in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall geology & earth sciences education in North Carolina.
Top Schools in Geology & Earth Sciences
Our analysis ranked University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill the best school in the country for a degree in geology & earth sciences. This very large public university is located in the city of Chapel Hill. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill graduates 91% of students within six years. About 24 geology & earth sciences degrees were awarded at University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill in the most recent year. Students who receive their geology & earth sciences degree from University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earn around $61,361 in the first couple years of their career. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill graduates carry a median of $15,117 in student loans.
See the full geology & earth sciences program report for University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
Students looking for a strong geology & earth sciences program will find one at North Carolina State University At Raleigh, which ranked #2. This very large public university is located in the city of Raleigh. The six-year graduation rate is 85%. About 15 geology & earth sciences degrees were awarded at North Carolina State University At Raleigh in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, geology & earth sciences degree recipients from North Carolina State University At Raleigh generally make around $38,871. Typical student debt for the program is $22,234.
More information about a degree in geology & earth sciences from North Carolina State University At Raleigh
East Carolina University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in geology & earth sciences, ranking #3. This very large public university is located in the city of Greenville. The six-year graduation rate is 63%. There were roughly 20 geology & earth sciences students who graduated with this degree at East Carolina University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, geology & earth sciences degree recipients from East Carolina University generally make around $44,961. East Carolina University graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans.
Read more about the geology & earth sciences program at East Carolina University
Appalachian State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best geology & earth sciences schools. Appalachian State University is a very large public school located in the town of Boone. Roughly 74% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 22 geology & earth sciences students who graduated with this degree at Appalachian State University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, geology & earth sciences degree recipients from Appalachian State University generally make around $35,021. Appalachian State University graduates carry a median of $22,853 in student loans.
Get the full geology & earth sciences details for Appalachian State University
A rank of #5 makes University Of North Carolina At Wilmington one of the top schools for geology & earth sciences. This very large public university is located in the city of Wilmington. About 71% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 19 geology & earth sciences students who graduated with this degree at University Of North Carolina At Wilmington in the most recent data year. Geology & Earth Sciences graduates of University Of North Carolina At Wilmington earn a median of $38,459 early in their careers. University Of North Carolina At Wilmington graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans.
See the full geology & earth sciences program report for University Of North Carolina At Wilmington
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best geology & earth sciences schools. University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public school located in the city of Charlotte. Roughly 69% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 65 geology & earth sciences students who graduated with this degree at University Of North Carolina At Charlotte in the most recent data year. Graduates of the geology & earth sciences program make about $37,717 in their early career. University Of North Carolina At Charlotte graduates carry a median of $24,897 in student loans.
Get the full geology & earth sciences details for University Of North Carolina At Charlotte
Western Carolina University earned the #7 position for geology & earth sciences this year. Set in the town of Cullowhee, Western Carolina University is a large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 60%. About 11 geology & earth sciences degrees were awarded at Western Carolina University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, geology & earth sciences degree recipients from Western Carolina University generally make around $44,926. Students borrow a median of $24,174 to complete this degree.
Read more about the geology & earth sciences program at Western Carolina University
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 10 schools evaluated.
- 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.
