2023 Best Value Colleges for Geophysics & Seismology
22
Ranked Colleges
243
Degrees Awarded
$16,900
Avg Net Price*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Geophysics Schools” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Geophysics & Seismology is the 757th most popular major in the country with 243 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
This year’s “Best Value Geophysics Schools” ranking looked at 22 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in geophysics and seismology. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great geophysics and seismology programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the geophysics and seismology program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
More Ways to Rank Geophysics & Seismology Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Geophysics Schools” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Geophysics Schools
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geophysics Schools.
Top 22 Best Value Colleges for Geophysics & Seismology
Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Geophysics Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wyoming landed the #1 spot on the list. UW is a fairly large school located in Laramie, Wyoming that handed out 3 ’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW is $11,085 for geophysics students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Wyoming Geophysics & Seismology Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Houston. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Geophysics Schools. UH is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 42 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UH did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” list. It costs about $13,721 for geophysics students per year to attend UH.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at University of Houston
Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Geophysics Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, Texas A&M University - Kingsville landed the #3 spot on the list. Texas A&M Kingsville is located in Kingsville, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s geophysics degrees to qualified students.
Texas A&M Kingsville did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M University - Kingsville is $13,027 for geophysics students.
Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at Texas A&M Kingsville
Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Geophysics Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Nevada - Reno landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Nevada - Reno is a large school located in Reno, Nevada that handed out 5 ’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
UNR not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” list. It costs about $14,930 for Geophysics students per year to attend UNR.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at UNR
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Utah. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Geophysics Schools list. University of Utah is a large school located in Salt Lake City, Utah that handed out 6 ’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
U of U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” list. It costs about $13,572 for Geophysics students per year to attend U of U.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at U of U
The University of Texas at El Paso landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geophysics Schools ranking. The University of Texas at El Paso is a large school located in El Paso, Texas that handed out 3 ’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
UTEP also made our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for UTEP is $9,000 for geophysics students.
Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at The University of Texas at El Paso
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geophysics Schools ranking. This large school is located in Norman, Oklahoma, and it awarded 16 ’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Oklahoma also took the #17 spot in our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” ranking. It costs about $21,122 for Geophysics students per year to attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of Oklahoma Geophysics & Seismology Report
Texas A&M University - College Station ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Geophysics Schools list. Texas A&M University - College Station is a large public school situated in College Station, Texas. It awarded 10 ’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
Texas A&M College Station also made our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M College Station is $18,919 for geophysics students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 Geophysics & Seismology at Texas A&M University - College Station
Western Washington University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geophysics Schools ranking. WWU is located in Bellingham, Washington and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 ’s geophysics degrees to qualified students.
WWU also made our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend Western Washington University is $17,070 for geophysics students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at Western Washington University
San Diego State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geophysics Schools ranking. SDSU is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 2 ’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our geophysics students list, SDSU has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $13,845 for Geophysics students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full SDSU Geophysics & Seismology Report
Boise State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geophysics Schools ranking. Boise State is located in Boise, Idaho and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 ’s geophysics degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our geophysics students list, Boise State has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,153 for Geophysics students per year to attend Boise State.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at Boise State University
With a ranking of #12, University of South Carolina - Columbia did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geophysics Schools list. UofSC is a public institution located in Columbia, South Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UofSC, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UofSC is $20,559 for geophysics students.
With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at University of South Carolina - Columbia
With a ranking of #13, University of Colorado Boulder did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geophysics Schools list. CU - Boulder is a large public school situated in Boulder, Colorado. It awarded 5 ’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our geophysics students list, CU - Boulder has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” ranking. It costs about $20,967 for geophysics students per year to attend CU - Boulder.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full CU - Boulder Geophysics & Seismology Report
University of California - Los Angeles ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Geophysics Schools list. University of California - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 13 ’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $15,023 for Geophysics students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full UCLA Geophysics & Seismology Report
University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geophysics Schools ranking, coming in at #15. UW Seattle is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UW Seattle also made our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $12,017 for geophysics students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full UW Seattle Geophysics & Seismology Report
The University of Texas at Austin ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Geophysics Schools list. The University of Texas at Austin is a large school located in Austin, Texas that handed out 2 ’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our geophysics students list, UT Austin has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas at Austin is $18,350 for Geophysics students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at The University of Texas at Austin
Colorado School of Mines came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geophysics Schools ranking. Golden, Colorado is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geophysics degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.
Mines did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Colorado School of Mines is $27,114 for geophysics students.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Full Colorado School of Mines Geophysics & Seismology Report
University of California - Berkeley ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Geophysics Schools list. UC Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 ’s geophysics degrees to qualified students.
UC Berkeley also took the #3 spot in our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,032 for geophysics students per year to attend UC Berkeley.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at University of California - Berkeley
University of California - Riverside landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geophysics Schools ranking. UCR is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCR, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Riverside is $11,822 for Geophysics students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 more about Geophysics & Seismology at UCR
Stanford University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geophysics Schools ranking. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s geophysics degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.
Stanford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $12,894 for Geophysics students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at Stanford
California Institute of Technology landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geophysics Schools ranking. California Institute of Technology is a small school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 9 ’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Caltech, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California Institute of Technology is $26,542 for geophysics students.
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.
Full California Institute of Technology Geophysics & Seismology Report
With a ranking of #22, University of Chicago did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geophysics Schools list. University of Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 17 ’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
UChicago also took the #2 spot in our “Best Geophysics & Seismology Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $28,517 for Geophysics students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at University of Chicago
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Kelvinsong.
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