Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Geological & Earth Sciences

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $75-$110k)

266 Ranked Colleges
6,087 Degrees Awarded
$14,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $75-$110k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this 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.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 6,087 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking looked at 266 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. 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 For Those Making $75-$110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (Income $75-$110k)

#1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, MIT has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MIT is $14,381 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The impressive 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 MIT

#2

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Dartmouth College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k. Located in Hanover, New Hampshire, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 16 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

Dartmouth also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Dartmouth is $14,238 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Dartmouth Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#3

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k. Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Northwestern also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $16,784 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Northwestern.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Northwestern Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#4

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#9 in overall quality

Out of the 266 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #4 spot on the list. Stanford is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 31 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Stanford also took the #9 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $10,631 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Stanford University.

The low student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Stanford University

#4 in overall quality

Out of the 266 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #5 spot on the list. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, Columbia has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $18,637 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Columbia University in the City of New York.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Columbia University in the City of New York

#13 in overall quality

Missouri University of Science and Technology came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Rolla, Missouri, this medium-sized public school handed out 31 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Missouri University of Science and Technology, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri University of Science and Technology is $16,060 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 Missouri University of Science and Technology

#7

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #7. UF is a large public school situated in Gainesville, Florida. It awarded 36 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UF also did well on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $12,685 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UF Geological & Earth Sciences Report

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 37 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend U-M is $18,039 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#9

The City College of New York

New York, New York

The City College of New York ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. The City College of New York is a fairly large public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 11 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,546 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend CCNY.

Full The City College of New York Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#10

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Williamstown, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, Williams is in the top on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $14,653 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Williams College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Williams College

Brigham Young University - Idaho ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Rexburg, Idaho, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for BYU - I is $9,850 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Brigham Young University - Idaho Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#12

University of Wyoming

Laramie, Wyoming

University of Wyoming landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UW is located in Laramie, Wyoming and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 43 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

UW also claimed a top spot on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $14,958 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Wyoming.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

#13

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#10 in overall quality

Princeton University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. Princeton is a medium-sized school located in Princeton, New Jersey that handed out 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, Princeton has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,989 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Princeton.

The low 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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Princeton University

With a ranking of #14, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. Cal State Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 38 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,916 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California State University - Fullerton.

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

Full California State University - Fullerton Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#15

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

University of Chicago came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $17,929 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UChicago

#16

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin

Beloit College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Beloit is located in Beloit, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $12,123 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Beloit.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Beloit College

California State University - Long Beach ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. CSULB is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB excels when it comes to geology quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $14,544 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national 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 CSULB Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#18

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, California Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. Pasadena, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

Caltech also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $12,788 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Caltech.

The 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. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 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 California Institute of Technology

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UT Permian Basin is located in Odessa, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for UT Permian Basin is $10,923 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full The University of Texas of the Permian Basin Geological & Earth Sciences Report

With a ranking of #20, California State University - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Los Angeles is $9,576 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Cal State LA

#21

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

With a ranking of #21, University of Georgia did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Georgia is located in Athens, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

UGA also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #17. It costs about $17,105 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UGA.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national 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 Georgia

#22

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
Top 25% in overall quality

Vanderbilt University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #22. This fairly large school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt is $14,890 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 96%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Vanderbilt

University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #23. Seattle, Washington is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 116 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UW Seattle is also in the top of our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for UW Seattle is $18,110 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UW Seattle Geological & Earth Sciences Report

California State University - Bakersfield did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Bakersfield, California, this fairly large public school awarded 25 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,743 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend CSUB.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at CSUB

#25

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah

With a ranking of #25, University of Utah did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Utah is a public institution located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The school has a large population, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend U of U is $17,718 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 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 more about Geological & Earth Sciences at U of U

Rest of the Best 40 in Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k

Not only did these schools make the top 40 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland
#28

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#29

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky
#32

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#34

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona
#36

West Virginia University

Morgantown, West Virginia
#37

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
#38

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#39

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York

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

Find Schools Near You