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2022 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Great Lakes Region

13 Ranked Colleges
68 Degrees Awarded
$36,800 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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 the Great Lakes region, there were 1,042 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,733 and $23,415 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 68 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $74,428 and $121,375 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 13 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.

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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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 for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region.

Top 15 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Great Lakes Region

#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s geology degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #3. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Madison

#2

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region list. Purdue is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 doctorate’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue are $28,794, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Purdue Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#3

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#8 in overall quality

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Michigan University landed the #3 spot on the list. Western Michigan University is a fairly large school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan that handed out 2 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region doctor’s degree geology students list, WMU has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Western Michigan University are $31,355.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at WMU

#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s geology students in 2019-2020.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are $30,083, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#12 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Chicago. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region. University of Illinois at Chicago is a large public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 2 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIC, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIC are $27,036, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Illinois at Chicago

#13 in overall quality

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UC is a large public school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 5 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus are $26,644, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full UC Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#7

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#9 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 7 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Bloomington are $33,338, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Indiana University - Bloomington

#15 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #8. UWM is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 1 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UWM, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee are $25,295, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

#10 in overall quality

Miami University - Oxford did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #8. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large school located in Oxford, Ohio that handed out 3 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Miami University - Oxford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Miami University - Oxford are $31,697, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Miami University - Oxford Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#9

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region list. Michigan State is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 3 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region doctor’s degree geology students list, Michigan State has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Michigan State are $37,056, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Michigan State University

#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region list. Ohio State is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 doctorate’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Ohio State also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State are $37,141, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Ohio State University - Main Campus

#11

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan
#4 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 9 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at U-M are $49,548.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#12

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Northwestern University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #12. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern are $56,567, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Northwestern University

#13

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

University of Chicago landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 6 degrees to qualified doctorate’s geology students in 2019-2020.

UChicago also took the #1 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Chicago are $61,548, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Chicago

#13 in overall quality

Case Western Reserve University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Case Western Reserve University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 1 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Case Western not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Case Western Reserve University are $47,958, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Case Western Reserve University

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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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