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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

11 Ranked Colleges
124 Degrees Awarded
$23,600 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Master's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Geological & Earth Sciences is the 84th most popular major in the country with 8,918 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. 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 Plains States region, there were 509 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $25,562 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 124 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,438 and $39,783 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 11 colleges that offer 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the geological and earth sciences 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 Geological & Earth Sciences Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

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

Top 11 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Missouri University of Science and Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a medium-sized public school situated in Rolla, Missouri. It awarded 9 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Missouri University of Science and Technology did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Missouri University of Science and Technology are $30,943, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Missouri University of Science and Technology

#2

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 16 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UMN Twin Cities are $28,845, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Duluth. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This fairly large school is located in Duluth, Minnesota, and it awarded 4 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Duluth also took the #8 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UMN Duluth are $28,606, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Minnesota - Duluth

#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 5 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region master’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Iowa State has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Iowa State University are $25,948.

Full Iowa State Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Missouri - Columbia. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Missouri - Columbia is a large school located in Columbia, Missouri that handed out 6 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Mizzou also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #6. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Mizzou are $27,193.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Mizzou

#6

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Kansas State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Manhattan, Kansas, this large public school handed out 14 degrees to qualified masters’s geology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region master’s degree geology students whose families make $0-$30k list, K -State has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Kansas State University are $24,115, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at K -State

#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Fort Hays State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Fort Hays State University is a fairly large school located in Hays, Kansas that handed out 8 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

FHSU also took the #10 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Fort Hays State University are $11,376.

Full Fort Hays State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#8

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Lawrence, Kansas, and it awarded 12 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

KU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Kansas are $25,007, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Kansas

#7 in overall quality

Missouri State University - Springfield came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Springfield, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

Missouri State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Missouri State are $12,042, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Missouri State University - Springfield

#10

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Missouri - Kansas City is a public institution located in Kansas City, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 6 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMKC also took the #9 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Missouri - Kansas City are $26,699, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Missouri - Kansas City

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Rapid City, South Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

SD Mines also took the #0 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at SD Mines are $19,250.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at SD Mines

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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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