2023 Best Value Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
30
Ranked Colleges
818
Degrees Awarded
$10,200
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 the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.
In 2020-2021, 7,821 people earned their degree in geological and earth sciences, making the major the 95th most popular in the United States. 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 the Great Lakes region, there were 818 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,990 and $23,096 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 30 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.
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.
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 in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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 when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 17 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
UChicago also took the #2 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Chicago is $4,777 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 University of Chicago
Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #2 spot on the list. Northwestern University is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 21 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $917 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Northwestern Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #3 spot on the list. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 62 students in 2020-2021.
U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $5,670 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, 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 be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 50 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Madison is $4,788 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UW - Madison
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 34 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Purdue not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $5,853 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Purdue University - Main Campus.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Purdue University - Main Campus Geological & Earth Sciences Report
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
UIUC also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $8,036 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. IU Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $7,061 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.
Full Indiana University - Bloomington Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 28 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Ohio State also took the #7 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $8,581 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 Ohio State University - Main Campus Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Beloit College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Beloit, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s geology degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.
Beloit also took the #14 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Beloit College is $8,873 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Beloit College
Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is a public institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $8,216 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 more about Geological & Earth Sciences at IUPUI
University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. UIC is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 23 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
UIC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $11,351 for Great Lakes Region 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%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UIC
Ball State University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Ball State University is a public institution located in Muncie, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ball State, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ball State University is $10,786 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Ball State
University of Wisconsin - River Falls came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UW - River Falls is a medium-sized public school situated in River Falls, Wisconsin. It awarded 8 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - River Falls also took the #20 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $9,478 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Wisconsin - River Falls Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Michigan State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Michigan State is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 34 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Michigan State, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State University is $15,170 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 Michigan State
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. UW - Eau Claire is a public institution located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 8 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - Eau Claire also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend UW - Eau Claire is $10,658 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UW - Eau Claire
Western Michigan University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, this fairly large public school handed out 38 degrees to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
WMU also took the #10 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,552 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Western Michigan University.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at WMU
Grand Valley State University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. GVSU is a large public school situated in Allendale, Michigan. It awarded 12 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
GVSU also took the #21 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $11,026 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Grand Valley State University.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Grand Valley State University
Indiana State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. Indiana State is a medium-sized school located in Terre Haute, Indiana that handed out 10 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Indiana State is $10,911 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Indiana State Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Wayne State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Wayne State University is a public institution located in Detroit, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 15 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $11,414 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wayne State University.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Wayne State
Illinois State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.
Illinois State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $14,982 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Illinois State University.
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%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Illinois State
Miami University - Oxford ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large school located in Oxford, Ohio that handed out 35 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Miami University - Oxford, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Miami University - Oxford is $16,062 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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%.
Full Miami University - Oxford Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Wright State University - Main Campus came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Wright State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Dayton, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 37 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, Wright State University - Main Campus has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wright State University - Main Campus is $13,747 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Wright State University - Main Campus Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Bowling Green, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, BGSU has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is $14,822 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Bowling Green State University - Main Campus
With a ranking of #24, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 19 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, UWM has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UWM is $13,351 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full UWM Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Eastern Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $13,265 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Eastern Michigan.
Full Eastern Michigan Geological & Earth Sciences Report
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