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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Southwest Region

17 Ranked Colleges
319 Degrees Awarded
$21,600 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Master's in the Southwest Region

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 Master’s in the Southwest Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

Across the Southwest region, there were 1,136 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,627 and $21,949 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 319 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,078 and $37,227 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region” ranking, we looked at 17 colleges that offer 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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 Master’s in the Southwest Region” 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 for a Master’s in the Southwest Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region master’s degree geology students.

Top 17 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Southwest Region

#11 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas of the Permian Basin. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region list. Located in Odessa, Texas, this medium-sized public school awarded 15 degrees to qualified masters’s geology students in 2019-2020.

UT Permian Basin also took the #11 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin are $6,900, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Texas A&M University - College Station landed the #2 spot on the list. College Station, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 57 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree geology students list, Texas A&M College Station has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Texas A&M University - College Station are $22,743, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Texas A&M University - College Station

#3

University of Houston

Houston, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Houston. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region list. UH is a large public school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 30 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UH also took the #6 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UH are $18,689.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UH

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Oklahoma Norman Campus landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Oklahoma is located in Norman, Oklahoma and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

University of Oklahoma also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #3. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus are $23,236, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

#5

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas
#7 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Texas Tech University landed the #5 spot on the list. Texas Tech is located in Lubbock, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Texas Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Texas Tech are $17,530, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Texas Tech University

#6

MSU Texas

Wichita Falls, Texas
#17 in overall quality

MSU Texas did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #6. MSU Texas is located in Wichita Falls, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

MSU Texas also took the #17 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at MSU Texas are $7,935, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at MSU Texas

With a ranking of #7, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region list. This large school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 12 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Austin, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at The University of Texas at Austin are $22,886.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin

#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, New Mexico State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region list. New Mexico State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree geology students list, NMSU Main Campus has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at New Mexico State University - Main Campus are $18,275.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at NMSU Main Campus

The University of Texas at El Paso landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region ranking. This large school is located in El Paso, Texas, and it awarded 11 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree geology students list, UTEP has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at The University of Texas at El Paso are $16,180.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UTEP

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region ranking. Stillwater, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

OSU also took the #9 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at OSU are $23,963.

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

#11

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Arizona
#12 in overall quality

Northern Arizona University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region list. NAU is a large public school situated in Flagstaff, Arizona. It awarded 14 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

NAU also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #12. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northern Arizona University are $19,489, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Northern Arizona University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#12

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona
#1 in overall quality

University of Arizona ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region list. University of Arizona is located in Tucson, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

University of Arizona also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #1. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Arizona are $33,399, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

#13

University of New Mexico - Main Campus

Albuquerque, New Mexico
#16 in overall quality

University of New Mexico - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #13. This large school is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and it awarded 15 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNM, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of New Mexico - Main Campus are $19,890.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UNM

The University of Texas at San Antonio ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region list. This large school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 10 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UTSA, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UTSA are $25,807, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full UTSA Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#15

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, Texas

Texas Christian University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #15. TCU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fort Worth, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 10 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree geology students list, TCU has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at TCU are $32,268, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Texas Christian University

The University of Texas at Dallas landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region ranking. The University of Texas at Dallas is a large school located in Richardson, Texas that handed out 19 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Dallas did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at The University of Texas at Dallas are $28,610.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UT Dallas

#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region list. ASU - Tempe is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 8 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

ASU - Tempe also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #10. Average graduate tuition and fees at ASU - Tempe are $27,048, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Arizona State University - Tempe Geological & Earth Sciences Report

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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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