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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in Virginia

7 Ranked Colleges
112 Degrees Awarded
$32,567 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Geology Major in Virginia

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in Virginia” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 7,821 people earned their degree in geological and earth sciences, making the major the 95th most popular in the United States. 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.

Across Virginia, there were 144 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,567 and $23,195 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 112 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,553 and $27,844 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in Virginia” ranking looked at 7 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in geological and earth sciences. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in geological and earth sciences.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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 in Virginia” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in Virginia

The colleges and universities below are the best for virginia bachelor’s degree geology students.

Top 7 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in Virginia

1
Washington and Lee crest
Washington and Lee University
Lexington, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington and Lee University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in Virginia list. Washington and Lee is located in Lexington, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Washington and Lee University

2
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend William & Mary. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in Virginia. This medium-sized school is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at William & Mary

3
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend James Madison University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in Virginia list. James Madison University is a large public school situated in Harrisonburg, Virginia. It awarded 34 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full JMU Geological & Earth Sciences Report

4
Radford crest
Radford University
Radford, Virginia

Out of the 7 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in Virginia that were part of this year’s ranking, Radford University landed the #4 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Radford, Virginia, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Radford University

5
Old Dominion crest
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, Virginia

Out of the 7 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in Virginia that were part of this year’s ranking, Old Dominion University landed the #5 spot on the list. Norfolk, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.

Full Old Dominion University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

6
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #6, Virginia Tech did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in Virginia list. Virginia Tech is a large public school situated in Blacksburg, Virginia. It awarded 14 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 Virginia Tech Geological & Earth Sciences Report

7
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia

With a ranking of #7, George Mason University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in Virginia list. Located in Fairfax, Virginia, this large public school awarded 9 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 GMU

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