2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
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 Southwest region, there were 1,136 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,627 and $21,949 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 624 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,896 and $23,899 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 23 colleges that offered a degree in geological and earth sciences. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality geological and earth sciences programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the geological and earth sciences program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
Featured schools near , edit
One Size Does Not Fit All
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 “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 23 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Texas A&M University - College Station. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. College Station, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 74 students in 2019-2020.
Texas A&M College Station also took the #1 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M University - College Station is $13,270 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Full Texas A&M College Station Geological & Earth Sciences Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Arizona. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Arizona is a large school located in Tucson, Arizona that handed out 62 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
University of Arizona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Arizona is $11,466 for southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Arizona
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas Tech University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Texas Tech University is a large school located in Lubbock, Texas that handed out 35 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
Texas Tech also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for Texas Tech University is $13,326 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Houston landed the #4 spot on the list. Houston, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 50 students in 2019-2020.
UH also took the #5 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UH is $9,925 for southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas of the Permian Basin landed the #5 spot on the list. The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is a public institution located in Odessa, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Permian Basin, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is $10,221 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UT Permian Basin
The University of Texas at San Antonio did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Located in San Antonio, Texas, this large public school handed out 24 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.
UTSA also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at San Antonio is $11,109 for southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at The University of Texas at San Antonio
Oklahoma State University - Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
OSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $9,962 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend OSU.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Oklahoma State University - Main Campus
With a ranking of #8, MSU Texas did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wichita Falls, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, MSU Texas has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $8,554 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend MSU Texas.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at MSU Texas
The University of Texas at Austin ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. The University of Texas at Austin is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Austin, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $13,575 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UT Austin.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 University of Texas at Dallas ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UT Dallas is a large school located in Richardson, Texas that handed out 15 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Dallas, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UT Dallas is $11,745 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas
New Mexico State University - Main Campus ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. NMSU Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Las Cruces, New Mexico that handed out 13 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at NMSU Main Campus, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for NMSU Main Campus is $7,006 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at NMSU Main Campus
The University of Texas at El Paso did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. El Paso, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 19 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UTEP, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UTEP is $7,427 for southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The University of Texas at Arlington ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. The University of Texas at Arlington is a public institution located in Arlington, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UT Arlington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas at Arlington is $12,974 for southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
University of Houston - Downtown ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Houston, Texas, this fairly large public school awarded 19 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.
UH Downtown also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend University of Houston - Downtown is $6,131 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full University of Houston - Downtown Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Northern Arizona University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northern Arizona University is located in Flagstaff, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 27 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.
NAU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $9,799 for southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend NAU.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Northern Arizona University
Stephen F Austin State University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Nacogdoches, Texas, this fairly large public school awarded 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.
SFASU also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for Stephen F Austin State University is $10,816 for southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Sam Houston State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. This large school is located in Huntsville, Texas, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
SHSU also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $11,634 for southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SHSU.
Full Sam Houston State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Norman, Oklahoma, this large public school handed out 14 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.
University of Oklahoma did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Oklahoma is $17,285 for southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, 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 students.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Oklahoma
Tarleton State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Stephenville, Texas, this fairly large public school awarded 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, Tarleton has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tarleton State University is $17,132 for southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
University of New Mexico - Main Campus ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this large public school awarded 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.
UNM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $14,458 for southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of New Mexico - Main Campus.
With a ranking of #21, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Corpus Christi, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.
Texas A&M Corpus Christi also took the #19 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $16,393 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Full Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi Geological & Earth Sciences Report
With a ranking of #22, Texas Christian University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Texas Christian University is a fairly large school located in Fort Worth, Texas that handed out 11 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, TCU has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $23,246 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Texas Christian University.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Texas Christian University Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Baylor University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Baylor is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Waco, Texas. It awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
Baylor not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Baylor University is $29,849 for southwest region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Narrow Results by Region
Southeast
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region
Rocky Mountains
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Rocky Mountains Region
Middle Atlantic
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Middle Atlantic Region
Southwest
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
New England
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the New England Region
Plains States
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region
Far Western US
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Far Western US Region
Great Lakes
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
Switch to a More General Major
Switch to a Similar Major
General Physical Sciences
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for General Physical Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
Physics
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physics (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
Other Physical Science
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Other Physical Science (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Astronomy & Astrophysics (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
Chemistry
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Chemistry (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
Materials Sciences
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Materials Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
Switch to a More Focused Major
Geology & Earth Sciences
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
Hydrology & Water Resources Science
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Hydrology & Water Resources Science (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
Other Geological & Earth Sciences/Geosciences
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Other Geological & Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southwest Region
Geological & Earth Sciences students in the Southwest Region
Most Focused Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Southwest Region
Geological & Earth Sciences students in the Southwest Region
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Online Geological & Earth Sciences Schools
Geological & Earth Sciences students in the Southwest Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region
Geological & Earth Sciences students with family income less than $30k in the Southwest Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region
Geological & Earth Sciences students with family income $48-$75k in the Southwest Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region
Geological & Earth Sciences students with family income exceeding $110k in the Southwest Region
Highest Paid Bachelor's Degree Geological & Earth Sciences Graduates in the Southwest Region
Geological & Earth Sciences students in the Southwest Region
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Southwest Region
Geological & Earth Sciences students in the Southwest Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Southwest Region (With Aid)
Geological & Earth Sciences students getting aid in the Southwest Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
Geological & Earth Sciences students with family income $30-$48k in the Southwest Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region
Geological & Earth Sciences students with family income $75-$110k in the Southwest Region
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.
Featured Physical Sciences Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More > |
College Factual provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© College Factual – All Rights Reserved.
