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2023 Best Value Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

11 Ranked Colleges
430 Degrees Awarded
$11,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Geology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 the Plains States region, there were 430 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,405 and $25,612 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Geology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 11 colleges that offered a degree in geological and earth sciences. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great geological and earth sciences programs and 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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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 the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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 Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 11 Best Value Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 40 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Twin Cities, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMN Twin Cities is $8,609 for plains states 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 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Geology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school awarded 21 degrees to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.

Iowa State also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $11,427 for Plains States Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Iowa State University.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Iowa State Geological & Earth Sciences Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Morris. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Minnesota - Morris is a public institution located in Morris, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Morris not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $2,230 for Plains States Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UMN Morris.

The low undergrad 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 Minnesota - Morris

4
Carleton crest
Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carleton College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Geology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Carleton is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northfield, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Carleton also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for Carleton is $13,410 for Plains States Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Carleton College Geological & Earth Sciences Report

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Duluth. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Geology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Duluth, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 19 degrees to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.

UMN Duluth also took the #7 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth is $8,697 for plains states region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Full University of Minnesota - Duluth Geological & Earth Sciences Report

6

With a ranking of #6, University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 11 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, Mizzou has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mizzou is $11,386 for Plains States Region 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 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 more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Mizzou

7
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Iowa City, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

Iowa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $15,508 for Plains States Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Iowa.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Iowa

8

Missouri State University - Springfield ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Missouri State University - Springfield is a large school located in Springfield, Missouri that handed out 59 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Missouri State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Missouri State University - Springfield is $13,144 for plains states region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Missouri State

9

University of Missouri - Kansas City ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UMKC is a fairly large school located in Kansas City, Missouri that handed out 8 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

UMKC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMKC is $13,751 for plains states region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

10
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

With a ranking of #10, University of Kansas did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lawrence, Kansas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.

KU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for KU is $16,288 for Plains States Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

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

11
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Winona, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school awarded 12 degrees to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.

Winona State also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend Winona State is $12,963 for Plains States Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Winona State

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