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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

44 Ranked Colleges
769 Degrees Awarded
$8,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 8,918 people earned their degree in geological and earth sciences, making the major the 84th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, geological and earth sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $35,533 and had an average of $23,531 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 1,042 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,733 and $23,415 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 769 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 44 colleges that offered a degree in geological and earth sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent geological and earth sciences programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the geological and earth sciences program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Geological & Earth Sciences Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. 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 Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $1,866 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Northwestern University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

UChicago also took the #2 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Chicago is $2,712 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UChicago

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k list, U-M has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $3,166 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend U-M.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at U-M

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 43 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $4,367 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UW - Madison

Out of the 44 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 15 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,477 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#6

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Purdue University - Main Campus is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,483 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Purdue University - Main Campus

#7

Oberlin College

Oberlin, Ohio
#5 in overall quality

Oberlin College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Oberlin College is located in Oberlin, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Oberlin also took the #5 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Oberlin College is $9,037 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Oberlin College

#8

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Michigan State is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 21 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State also took the #9 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $6,686 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Michigan State.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Michigan State University

Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 17 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ohio State, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $8,194 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Ohio State Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#10

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#18 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school handed out 7 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also took the #18 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $4,969 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at IU Bloomington

#11

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. River Falls, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k list, UW - River Falls has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - River Falls is $8,366 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UW - River Falls

#12

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is a public institution located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Stevens Point, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $11,446 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW - Stevens Point.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

#13

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin
#17 in overall quality

Beloit College landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Beloit is located in Beloit, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Beloit has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Beloit College is $8,574 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The 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 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Beloit College Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#23 in overall quality

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is a large school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 16 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k list, IUPUI has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $5,052 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full IUPUI Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#15

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin
#21 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is a medium-sized school located in Green Bay, Wisconsin that handed out 2 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Green Bay also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is $11,337 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full UW - Green Bay Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#16

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UW - Eau Claire is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Eau Claire, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Eau Claire is $11,528 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

#17

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana
#24 in overall quality

Ball State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Muncie, Indiana, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Ball State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ball State University is $8,403 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Ball State University

#18

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan

Grand Valley State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. This large school is located in Allendale, Michigan, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k list, GVSU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $11,578 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Grand Valley State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Grand Valley State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

University of Wisconsin - Parkside ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UW - Parkside is a public institution located in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $6,652 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Parkside.

Full University of Wisconsin - Parkside Geological & Earth Sciences Report

With a ranking of #20, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UIC is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k list, UIC has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $10,648 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Illinois at Chicago

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is $11,687 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UW Oshkosh

#22

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana

With a ranking of #22, University of Southern Indiana did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. USI is a public institution located in Evansville, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend USI is $8,244 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 5.0% 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%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Southern Indiana

#23

Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Purdue University Fort Wayne landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Fort Wayne, Indiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Purdue University Fort Wayne is $7,129 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at PFW

#24

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. NIU is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 11 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend NIU is $15,281 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Northern Illinois University

#25

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Western Michigan University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, this fairly large public school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

WMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for WMU is $13,021 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at WMU

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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

Footnotes

  • *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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