2024 Best Geophysics & Seismology Master's Degree Schools in California

Geophysics & Seismology is about average in terms of popularity for master's degrees programs. That is, it ranks #575 out of the 1172 majors across the country that we analyze each year. So, it might take a little more work to find colleges and universities that offer the degree program.

College Factual reviewed 2 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for master's degree seekers in the field of geophysics & seismology. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 13 master's degrees in geophysics & seismology during the 2020-2021 academic year.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

• Best Master’s Degree Schools List

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

• Major Focus - How much a school focuses on geophysics & seismology students vs. other majors.
• Major Demand - The number of geophysics & seismology students who choose to seek a master's degree at the school.
• Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
• Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized geophysics & seismology related body.

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for geophysics & seismology students working on their master's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The geophysics school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Geophysics & Seismology Master's Degree Schools in California.

Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Geophysics & Seismology in California

Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in geophysics & seismology.

Top California Schools for a Master's in Geophysics

1

California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA

Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type

7 Annual Graduates

California Institute of Technology is a great choice for students interested in a master's degree in geophysics & seismology. Located in the midsize city of Pasadena, Caltech is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.More information about a master’s in geophysics & seismology from California Institute of Technology

2

University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA

Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type

5 Annual Graduates

It is difficult to beat University of California - Los Angeles if you want to pursue a master's degree in geophysics & seismology. UCLA is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Los Angeles.More information about a master’s in geophysics & seismology from University of California - Los Angeles

Best Geophysics & Seismology Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State	Colleges	Degrees Awarded
Washington	402	0
Nevada	126	1
Alaska	65	1

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Rankings in Majors Related to Geophysics

Geophysics & Seismology is one of 7 different types of Geological & Earth Sciences programs to choose from.

Most Popular Majors Related to Geophysics

Related Major	Annual Graduates
Geology & Earth Sciences	124
Chemical & Physical Oceanography	40
Other Geological & Earth Sciences/Geosciences	17
Hydrology & Water Resources Science	16
Geochemistry	4

Notes and References

• The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
• 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 the rest 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).
• Credit for the banner image above goes to Kelvinsong. More about our data sources and methodologies.