2027 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in Virginia
[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.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for geological & earth sciences students.
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2027 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in Virginia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the geological & earth sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools
Leading the list is Old Dominion University, our #1 best value for geological & earth sciences in Virginia. Set in the city of Norfolk, Old Dominion University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,750, with out-of-state students paying around $33,780. Students borrow a median of $26,001 to complete the geological & earth sciences program here. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates of Old Dominion University earn a median of $57,131 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
College Of William And Mary came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value geological & earth sciences schools. Set in the suburb of Williamsburg, College Of William And Mary is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $25,734, with out-of-state students paying around $51,038. Typical student debt for geological & earth sciences graduates is $18,935. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates of College Of William And Mary earn a median of $53,338 early in their careers. Set against $18,935 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 34% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes James Madison University one of the best values for geological & earth sciences. James Madison University is a very large public school located in the city of Harrisonburg. Students from in state pay about $13,966 in tuition and fees, compared with $31,312 for out-of-state students. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $22,375 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geological & earth sciences degree recipients from James Madison University generally make around $48,118. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in geological & earth sciences will find it at Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,948, while out-of-state students pay about $37,764. Students borrow a median of $23,393 to complete the geological & earth sciences program here. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earn a median of $60,004 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,393 median debt. The acceptance rate is 55%.
More Geological & Earth Sciences Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
