2027 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
[Geological & Earth Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/geological-and-earth-sciences/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find the best return on investment for geological & earth sciences students.
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2027 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in geological & earth sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools
For return on investment in geological & earth sciences, no school beat University Of Wyoming this year. University Of Wyoming is a large public school located in the town of Laramie. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,768, compared with $24,178 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,700 to complete the geological & earth sciences program here. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates of University Of Wyoming earn a median of $45,758 early in their careers. Set against $23,700 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Wyoming admits about 97% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in geological & earth sciences will find it at Utah State University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Logan, Utah State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,560, with out-of-state students paying around $24,993. Students borrow a median of $16,191 to complete the geological & earth sciences program here. Soon after graduation, geological & earth sciences degree recipients from Utah State University generally make around $50,348. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Utah State University admits about 92% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in geological & earth sciences will find it at Brigham Young University Provo, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Provo, Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,688. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $12,184 in student loans. Early-career geological & earth sciences graduates make about $54,507. That is a strong return on a $12,184 median debt. Brigham Young University Provo admits about 68% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Utah earned it the #4 place for geological & earth sciences. Located in the city of Salt Lake City, University Of Utah is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,620, compared with $30,860 for out-of-state students. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $20,798 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geological & earth sciences degree recipients from University Of Utah generally make around $49,446. Set against $20,798 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Students looking for strong value in geological & earth sciences will find it at The University Of Montana, which ranked #5. The University Of Montana is a large public school located in the city of Missoula. In-state tuition and fees average $8,552, compared with $33,671 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for geological & earth sciences graduates is $24,342. Early-career geological & earth sciences graduates make about $42,654. Set against $24,342 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The University Of Montana admits about 96% of applicants.
University Of Northern Colorado came in at #6 for value in geological & earth sciences this year. Set in the city of Greeley, University Of Northern Colorado is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,901, while out-of-state students pay about $26,979. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geological & earth sciences degree recipients from University Of Northern Colorado generally make around $46,954. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Northern Colorado admits about 86% of applicants.
Colorado State University Fort Collins ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value geological & earth sciences schools. Located in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,373, compared with $35,061 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for geological & earth sciences graduates is $26,028. Early-career geological & earth sciences graduates make about $41,158. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Boise State University ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value geological & earth sciences schools. Set in the city of Boise, Boise State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,048 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $27,788. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $27,299 in student loans. Early-career geological & earth sciences graduates make about $31,701. Set against $27,299 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Montana State University earned the #9 position for value in geological & earth sciences this year. Montana State University is a large public school located in the city of Bozeman. Students from in state pay about $8,460 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,287. Students borrow a median of $22,250 to complete the geological & earth sciences program here. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates of Montana State University earn a median of $29,030 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 82%.
University Of Colorado Boulder ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value geological & earth sciences schools. University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public school located in the city of Boulder. Students from in state pay about $15,214 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $42,970. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geological & earth sciences degree recipients from University Of Colorado Boulder generally make around $46,263. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. University Of Colorado Boulder admits about 78% of applicants.
Colorado School Of Mines placed #11 among the best values for geological & earth sciences. Located in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $21,914, compared with $45,824 for out-of-state students. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $24,521 in student loans. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates of Colorado School Of Mines earn a median of $79,523 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,521 median debt. The acceptance rate is 61%.
Colorado College landed the #12 spot for geological & earth sciences value this year. Located in the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,734. Students borrow a median of $17,921 to complete the geological & earth sciences program here. Early-career geological & earth sciences graduates make about $37,342. That is a strong return on a $17,921 median debt. Roughly 18% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
