by our College Data Analytics Team
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major” ranking.
Geological & Earth Sciences is the 95th most popular major in the country with 7,821 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, geological and earth sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $38,705 and had an average of $23,383 in loans still to pay off.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,119 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major” ranking analyzed 450 colleges that offered a degree in geological and earth sciences. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in geological and earth sciences.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree geology students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend United States Coast Guard Academy. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major. New London, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.
Full United States Coast Guard Academy Geological & Earth Sciences Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northland College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. This small school is located in Ashland, Wisconsin, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carleton College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major. Carleton College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northfield, Minnesota. It awarded 21 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Colorado College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Colorado Springs, Colorado is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Colorado College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend United States Naval Academy. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major. Annapolis, Maryland is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.
Bowdoin College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Bowdoin College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Brunswick, Maine. It awarded 17 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Bowdoin College
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #7. Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 58 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, this small public school awarded 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad 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%.
Full University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown Geological & Earth Sciences Report
With a ranking of #9, Susquehanna University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. This small school is located in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, 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 88%.
Hobart and William Smith Colleges came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. The Colleges is located in Geneva, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
University of Pittsburgh - Bradford came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Bradford, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Pittsburgh - Bradford
With a ranking of #12, Beloit College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Beloit is located in Beloit, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Bates College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #13. Lewiston, Maine is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
University of Florida-Online landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 18 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UF Online
Washington and Lee University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Lexington, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Washington and Lee
With a ranking of #16, Occidental College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Union College New York landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Union College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Schenectady, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad 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 Union College New York
Smith College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Smith College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northampton, Massachusetts. It awarded 17 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Marietta College ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Marietta College is a small school located in Marietta, Ohio that handed out 4 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Rapid City, South Dakota, this small public school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Whitman College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #21. Whitman College is a small school located in Walla Walla, Washington that handed out 6 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 Whitman College
Mississippi State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Mississippi State is located in Mississippi State, Mississippi and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 96 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Mississippi State University
University of Maine at Farmington did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #23. University of Maine at Farmington is a public institution located in Farmington, Maine. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full University of Maine at Farmington Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Allegheny College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #24. Allegheny College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Meadville, Pennsylvania. It awarded 7 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad 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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Allegheny
Juniata College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #25. Juniata is a private not-for-profit institution located in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Juniata College
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT |
| 52 | Salish Kootenai College | Pablo, MT |
| 53 | Oberlin College | Oberlin, OH |
| 54 | MSU Texas | Wichita Falls, TX |
| 55 | SUNY New Paltz | New Paltz, NY |
| 56 | Franklin and Marshall College | Lancaster, PA |
| 57 | Western Colorado University | Gunnison, CO |
| 58 | Cornell College | Mount Vernon, IA |
| 59 | University of Hawaii at Hilo | Hilo, HI |
| 60 | Rocky Mountain College | Billings, MT |
| 61 | William & Mary | Williamsburg, VA |
| 62 | Westminster College Utah | Salt Lake City, UT |
| 63 | Lehigh University | Bethlehem, PA |
| 64 | Augustana College | Rock Island, IL |
| 65 | Pitzer College | Claremont, CA |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Concord University | Athens, WV |
| 67 | Sewanee - The University of the South | Sewanee, TN |
| 68 | Amherst College | Amherst, MA |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
