2023 Best Value Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in California
21
Ranked Colleges
994
Degrees Awarded
$9,200
Avg Net Price*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.
Geological & Earth Sciences is the 95th most popular major in the country with 7,821 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, geological and earth sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $38,705 and had an average of $23,383 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 994 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,206 and $19,545 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 21 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.
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 in California For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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.
Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k.
Top 21 Best Value Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 100 diplomas to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
Stanford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Stanford University is $1,581 for California Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Stanford University
Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. Caltech is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 31 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Caltech also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend California Institute of Technology is $12,190 for california geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at California Institute of Technology
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Berkeley. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. UC Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 49 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Berkeley, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $9,999 for california geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national 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 Geological & Earth Sciences at University of California - Berkeley
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. UCLA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 31 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UCLA also took the #6 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $9,891 for california geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of California - Los Angeles
Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Los Angeles landed the #5 spot on the list. California State University - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 19 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, Cal State LA has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal State LA is $2,701 for california geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Cal State LA Geological & Earth Sciences Report
With a ranking of #6, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in La Jolla, California, this large public school handed out 75 degrees to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
UCSD also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend University of California - San Diego is $11,176 for california geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of California - San Diego
With a ranking of #7, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UCSB is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 53 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCSB has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCSB is $11,606 for california geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UCSB
California State University - Long Beach came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. CSULB is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
CSULB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for CSULB is $7,573 for california geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at California State University - Long Beach
With a ranking of #9, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of California - Davis is a public institution located in Davis, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 43 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Davis also took the #7 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Davis is $11,598 for california geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of California - Davis
University of California - Irvine landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Irvine, California, this large public school awarded 70 diplomas to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, UC Irvine has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,449 for california geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UC Irvine.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UC Irvine
California State University - Fullerton ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Fullerton, California, and it awarded 26 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal State Fullerton also took the #15 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fullerton is $5,821 for california geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at California State University - Fullerton
University of California - Riverside came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 30 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
UCR not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Riverside is $8,193 for California Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of California - Riverside
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a large school located in Pomona, California that handed out 28 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly Pomona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $12,992 for California Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Cal Poly Pomona
University of California - Santa Cruz came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school handed out 65 diplomas to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
UC Santa Cruz did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Santa Cruz is $12,049 for California Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad 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%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UC Santa Cruz
California State University - Stanislaus came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Turlock, California, this fairly large public school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
Stan State also took the #21 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stan State is $4,903 for California Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Stan State
California State University - Sacramento landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school handed out 20 diplomas to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
Sac State also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $9,055 for california geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at California State University - Sacramento
San Diego State University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school awarded 29 diplomas to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SDSU, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $9,274 for california geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 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%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at San Diego State University
California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. CSUN is a public institution located in Northridge, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUN, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $7,103 for california geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Northridge.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at CSUN
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a large school located in San Luis Obispo, California that handed out 39 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $13,194 for california geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 94%.
Full California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo Geological & Earth Sciences Report
University of California - Merced did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. University of California - Merced is located in Merced, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
UC Merced not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Merced is $11,400 for California 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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%.
Full University of California - Merced Geological & Earth Sciences Report
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