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2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k

27 Ranked Colleges
699 Degrees Awarded
$16,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $75-$110k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Geological & Earth Sciences is the 84th most popular major in the country with 8,918 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. 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 California, there were 1,138 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,160 and $19,278 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 699 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking analyzed 27 colleges that offered 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.

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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Geological & Earth Sciences Schools

The geology school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k”.

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 by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k.

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

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 31 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Stanford also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Stanford is $10,631 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Stanford Geological & Earth Sciences Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fullerton. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school handed out 38 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State Fullerton, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal State Fullerton is $12,916 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Cal State Fullerton

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSULB, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,544 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend CSULB.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, 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 - Long Beach

#4

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Institute of Technology. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

Caltech also took the #1 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,788 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Caltech.

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. 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Caltech

#21 in overall quality

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k 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 large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 10 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal State LA also took the #21 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal State LA is $9,576 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#19 in overall quality

California State University - Bakersfield landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Bakersfield, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 25 students in 2019-2020.

CSUB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $11,743 for California Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California State University - Bakersfield.

Full California State University - Bakersfield Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#6 in overall quality

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #7. University of California - Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 29 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, UC Davis has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Davis is $17,622 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full University of California - Davis Geological & Earth Sciences Report

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Pomona, California, this large public school handed out 22 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly Pomona also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $17,944 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Cal Poly Pomona

#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, UCR has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $18,395 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of California - Riverside.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of California - Riverside

California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #10. California State University - Sacramento is a large school located in Sacramento, California that handed out 18 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Sac State also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $15,812 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Sac State.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, 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

California State University - Dominguez Hills came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Carson, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Dominguez Hills is $10,904 for California Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 CSUDH

#12

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California

University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UCSB is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 69 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UCSB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Santa Barbara is $22,226 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of California - Santa Barbara

#13

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California

With a ranking of #13, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, UC Berkeley has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $21,401 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of California - Berkeley.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Full UC Berkeley Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#14

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of California - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

UCLA also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $19,590 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of California - Los Angeles

University of California - Merced landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Merced, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 19 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, UC Merced has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $20,450 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UC Merced.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UC Merced

#16

California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino, California
#23 in overall quality

California State University - San Bernardino landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. San Bernardino, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

CSUSB also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - San Bernardino is $13,611 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at CSUSB

California State University - Stanislaus came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Turlock, California, this fairly large public school handed out 9 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Stanislaus is $12,381 for California Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Stan State

#25 in overall quality

California State University - Fresno ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. California State University - Fresno is a large school located in Fresno, California that handed out 5 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Fresno State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $11,819 for California Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California State University - Fresno.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, 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 87%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at California State University - Fresno

University of California - Irvine ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Irvine, California, this large public school awarded 52 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Irvine is $19,851 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UC Irvine Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#20

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

San Diego State University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school awarded 28 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, SDSU has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $18,766 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full San Diego State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

With a ranking of #21, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a large public school situated in San Luis Obispo, California. It awarded 37 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is $22,585 for California Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Full California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#22

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California

With a ranking of #22, University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large school located in Santa Cruz, California that handed out 66 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, UC Santa Cruz has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Santa Cruz is $22,739 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, 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 85%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UC Santa Cruz

#23

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #23, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school awarded 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SFSU, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SFSU is $21,027 for California Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full San Francisco State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#18 in overall quality

University of California - San Diego did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #24. UCSD is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 19 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $20,205 for california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UCSD.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of California - San Diego

#24 in overall quality

California State University - East Bay landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Cal State East Bay is a fairly large school located in Hayward, California that handed out 4 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, Cal State East Bay has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $17,710 for California Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Cal State East Bay.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Cal State East Bay

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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.

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