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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Geophysics & Seismology

25 Ranked Colleges
79 Degrees Awarded
$32,900 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Geophysics Major

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 for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 243 people earned their degree in geophysics and seismology, making the major the 757th most popular in the United States.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 79 geophysics and seismology graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major” ranking, we looked at 25 colleges that offer a degree in geophysics and seismology. That schools that top this list have a program in geophysics and seismology in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Geophysics & Seismology Schools

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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 for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major”.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Geophysics & Seismology

1

Out of the 25 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #1 spot on the list. California Institute of Technology is a small school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 7 masters’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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.

Full Caltech Geophysics & Seismology Report

2
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

Out of the 25 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Colorado School of Mines landed the #2 spot on the list. Golden, Colorado is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geophysics degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at Mines

3
University of Tulsa crest
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Tulsa. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major. University of Tulsa is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It awarded 5 masters’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, 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.

Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at University of Tulsa

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major. Located in Socorro, New Mexico, this small public school handed out 1 degrees to qualified masters’s geophysics students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Geophysics & Seismology Report

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas A&M University - Kingsville. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major. Texas A&M Kingsville is a medium-sized school located in Kingsville, Texas that handed out 5 masters’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at Texas A&M Kingsville

6

With a ranking of #6, Michigan Technological University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major list. Michigan Tech is located in Houghton, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 masters’s geophysics degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at Michigan Tech

7
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

University of Houston landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major ranking. University of Houston is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 15 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at University of Houston

8

University of Alaska Fairbanks landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major ranking. Fairbanks, Alaska is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geophysics degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at UAF

9

Boise State University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major ranking. Located in Boise, Idaho, this large public school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified masters’s geophysics students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Boise State University Geophysics & Seismology Report

10

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major ranking, coming in at #10. This large school is located in Norman, Oklahoma, and it awarded 5 masters’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Geophysics & Seismology Report

11
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri

With a ranking of #11, Saint Louis University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major list. Saint Louis University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 2 masters’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Full Saint Louis University Geophysics & Seismology Report

12

The University of Texas at El Paso ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major list. This large school is located in El Paso, Texas, and it awarded 3 masters’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at The University of Texas at El Paso

13

University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major ranking, coming in at #13. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geophysics degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full UCLA Geophysics & Seismology Report

14
UW crest
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming

University of Wyoming did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major ranking, coming in at #14. UW is a fairly large public school situated in Laramie, Wyoming. It awarded 1 masters’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.

Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at UW

15
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major ranking, coming in at #15. University of Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 2 masters’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 100%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at University of Chicago

16
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Utah ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major list. This large school is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it awarded 2 masters’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at U of U

17
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major list. Stanford is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 masters’s geophysics degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 0.5% 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 more about Geophysics & Seismology at Stanford

18
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major list. Boston College is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. It awarded 1 masters’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Boston College Geophysics & Seismology Report

19

University of Nevada - Reno ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major list. Reno, Nevada is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geophysics degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.

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%.

Full University of Nevada - Reno Geophysics & Seismology Report

20

With a ranking of #20, Texas A&M University - College Station did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major list. College Station, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geophysics degrees to 10 students 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%. 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 Texas A&M College Station Geophysics & Seismology Report

20

With a ranking of #20, University of Akron Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major list. University of Akron Main Campus is located in Akron, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 0 masters’s geophysics degrees to qualified students.

Full University of Akron Main Campus Geophysics & Seismology Report

20
MIT crest
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major ranking. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 masters’s geophysics degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at MIT

20

With a ranking of #20, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major list. UCSB is a large public school situated in Santa Barbara, California. It awarded 0 masters’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.

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 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%.

Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at University of California - Santa Barbara

20

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major ranking. Seattle, Washington is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geophysics degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UW Seattle Geophysics & Seismology Report

20

Southern Methodist University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geophysics Major ranking, coming in at #20. Southern Methodist University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dallas, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5 masters’s 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 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%.

Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at SMU

Notes and References

References

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