2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in California
26
Ranked Colleges
214
Degrees Awarded
$42,953
Avg Salary
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California” ranking is part of that endeavor.
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 California, there were 994 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,206 and $19,545 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 214 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $62,974 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California” ranking looked at 26 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.
More Ways to Rank Geological & Earth Sciences Schools
The geology school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California”.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California”.
Top 26 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. Caltech is a small school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 14 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 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 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full California Institute of Technology Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Out of the 26 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #2 spot on the list. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 38 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 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Stanford
Out of the 26 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Diego landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in La Jolla, California, this large public school awarded 38 diplomas to qualified masters’s geology students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UCSD
Out of the 26 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Bakersfield landed the #4 spot on the list. California State University - Bakersfield is located in Bakersfield, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at California State University - Bakersfield
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fresno. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified masters’s geology students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Fresno State
With a ranking of #6, University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. University of California - Santa Cruz is a fairly large school located in Santa Cruz, California that handed out 11 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, 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 85%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of California - Santa Cruz
With a ranking of #7, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. University of California - Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 13 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UC Irvine
California State University - East Bay came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. Cal State East Bay is located in Hayward, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at California State University - East Bay
University of California - Davis landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 11 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UC Davis
Naval Postgraduate School ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. Located in Monterey, California, this small public school awarded 2 diplomas to qualified masters’s geology students in 2020-2021.
Full Naval Postgraduate School Geological & Earth Sciences Report
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. Cal Poly Pomona is a public institution located in Pomona, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.
Full Cal Poly Pomona Geological & Earth Sciences Report
California State University - Sacramento landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. Sac State is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 6 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Sac State
With a ranking of #13, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5 masters’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 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of California - Santa Barbara Geological & Earth Sciences Report
San Francisco State University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. This large school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 5 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at SFSU
California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking, coming in at #15. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 7 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%.
Full CSULB Geological & Earth Sciences Report
University of California - Los Angeles landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. University of California - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 8 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 California - Los Angeles Geological & Earth Sciences Report
With a ranking of #17, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 SDSU Geological & Earth Sciences Report
California State University - Chico came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 California State University - Chico
California State University - Los Angeles came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Cal State LA
California State University - Northridge ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. Located in Northridge, California, this large public school awarded 4 degrees to qualified masters’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%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at CSUN
University of California - Berkeley landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. UC Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UC Berkeley
San Jose State University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. San Jose State University is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 3 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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%.
Full San Jose State Geological & Earth Sciences Report
University of California - Riverside landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. UCR is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Full UCR Geological & Earth Sciences Report
California State University - Fullerton landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. This large school is located in Fullerton, California, and it awarded 1 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at California State University - Fullerton
University of Southern California ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. USC is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Southern California
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