2023 Most Popular Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Geophysics & Seismology
24
Ranked Colleges
75
Degrees Awarded
$34,100
Avg Cost*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate” ranking is part of that endeavor.
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 doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 75 geophysics and seismology graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,260 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate” ranking analyzed 24 colleges that offered a degree in geophysics and seismology. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular geophysics and seismology programs in the United States.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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 “Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate”.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools 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.
Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate
The colleges and universities below are the best for doctor’s degree geophysics students.
Top 24 Most Popular Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Geophysics & Seismology
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Houston. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate. University of Houston is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, 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.
Full UH Geophysics & Seismology Report
Out of the 24 schools in the Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #2 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Stanford, California, and it awarded 12 doctorate’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
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 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Stanford University Geophysics & Seismology Report
Out of the 24 schools in the Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #3 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 9 doctorate’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%. 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
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a large public school situated in Norman, Oklahoma. It awarded 6 doctorate’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at University of Oklahoma
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Colorado Boulder. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate list. Boulder, Colorado is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s geophysics degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at CU - Boulder
Southern Methodist University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate ranking. This fairly large school is located in Dallas, Texas, and it awarded 4 doctorate’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at Southern Methodist University
University of Alaska Fairbanks ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate list. Fairbanks, Alaska is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s geophysics degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at University of Alaska Fairbanks
University of Utah did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #6. This large school is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it awarded 4 doctorate’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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 more about Geophysics & Seismology at University of Utah
With a ranking of #9, Texas A&M University - College Station did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate list. Texas A&M University - College Station is a large public school situated in College Station, Texas. It awarded 2 doctorate’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 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%.
Full Texas A&M College Station Geophysics & Seismology Report
With a ranking of #9, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate list. UCLA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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.
Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at UCLA
University of Nevada - Reno came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate ranking. Located in Reno, Nevada, this large public school awarded 2 degrees to qualified doctorate’s geophysics students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 University of Nevada - Reno
With a ranking of #9, University of Wyoming did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate list. This fairly large school is located in Laramie, Wyoming, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
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
San Diego State University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate list. SDSU is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at SDSU
California Institute of Technology landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate ranking. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 1 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s geophysics students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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 Geophysics & Seismology at California Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #14. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s geophysics degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.
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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at MIT
Saint Louis University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #14. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s geophysics degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 90%, 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 full report on Geophysics & Seismology at Saint Louis University
University of California - San Diego came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate ranking. University of California - San Diego is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 doctorate’s geophysics degrees to qualified students.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of California - San Diego Geophysics & Seismology Report
Michigan Technological University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate ranking. Houghton, Michigan is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s geophysics degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 Geophysics & Seismology at Michigan Technological University
University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate ranking. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 0 doctorate’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, 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%.
Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at UW - Madison
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #19. New Mexico Tech is a small public school situated in Socorro, New Mexico. It awarded 1 doctorate’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
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 Geophysics & Seismology at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
With a ranking of #19, Colorado School of Mines did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate list. Mines is a medium-sized public school situated in Golden, Colorado. It awarded 14 doctorate’s geophysics degrees 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.
Full Mines Geophysics & Seismology Report
University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #19. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large school located in Seattle, Washington that handed out 17 doctorate’s geophysics degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, 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 93%.
Full UW Seattle Geophysics & Seismology Report
With a ranking of #19, Brown University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate list. Brown University is located in Providence, Rhode Island and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 doctorate’s geophysics degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Geophysics & Seismology at Brown University
Boise State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geophysics Major for a Doctorate ranking. Boise State University is a large public school situated in Boise, Idaho. It awarded 4 doctorate’s geophysics degrees 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%.
Read full report on Geophysics & Seismology at Boise State University
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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
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate 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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