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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Southwest Region

27 Ranked Colleges
296 Degrees Awarded
$76,621 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 the Southwest region, there were 961 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $46,993 and $21,962 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 296 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,204 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region” ranking analyzed 27 colleges that offered a degree in geological and earth sciences. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their geological and earth sciences program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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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 the Southwest Region”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region master’s degree geology students.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Southwest Region

1

Out of the 27 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Socorro, New Mexico, this small public school handed out 12 degrees to qualified masters’s geology students in 2020-2021.

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 New Mexico Tech

2
University of Tulsa crest
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Tulsa. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. University of Tulsa is a small school located in Tulsa, Oklahoma that handed out 10 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

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. 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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Tulsa

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas of the Permian Basin. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region. The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is a medium-sized public school situated in Odessa, Texas. It awarded 10 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UT Permian Basin

4
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Rice University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region. Houston, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 Rice University

5

Out of the 27 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Sul Ross State University landed the #5 spot on the list. Sul Ross is a public institution located in Alpine, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Sul Ross Geological & Earth Sciences Report

6

With a ranking of #6, Stephen F Austin State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. This fairly large school is located in Nacogdoches, Texas, and it awarded 10 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Stephen F Austin State University

7

Texas A&M University - College Station came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Texas A&M University - College Station is a large public school situated in College Station, Texas. It awarded 64 masters’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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Texas A&M University - College Station

8

Texas A&M University - Kingsville came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Texas A&M University - Kingsville is a medium-sized school located in Kingsville, Texas that handed out 5 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Texas A&M Kingsville Geological & Earth Sciences Report

9

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Norman, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

10

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is a large school located in Stillwater, Oklahoma that handed out 16 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, 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 Oklahoma State University - Main Campus

11
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

With a ranking of #11, University of Houston did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. Located in Houston, Texas, this large public school awarded 28 degrees to qualified masters’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 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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UH

12
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

With a ranking of #12, University of Arizona did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. This large school is located in Tucson, Arizona, and it awarded 25 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full University of Arizona Geological & Earth Sciences Report

13
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Texas Tech University is a public institution located in Lubbock, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 12 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, 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 87%.

Full Texas Tech Geological & Earth Sciences Report

14

New Mexico State University - Main Campus landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. NMSU Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Las Cruces, New Mexico. It awarded 4 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Full NMSU Main Campus Geological & Earth Sciences Report

15

With a ranking of #15, The University of Texas at San Antonio did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. San Antonio, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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%.

Full The University of Texas at San Antonio Geological & Earth Sciences Report

16

The University of Texas at Dallas came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. UT Dallas is a large school located in Richardson, Texas that handed out 9 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% 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 freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas

17

The University of Texas at Austin landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. The University of Texas at Austin is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 18 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 The University of Texas at Austin

18
TCU crest
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, Texas

Texas Christian University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in Fort Worth, Texas, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified masters’s geology students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, 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 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Texas Christian University

19

With a ranking of #19, The University of Texas at El Paso did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. UTEP is located in El Paso, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at The University of Texas at El Paso

20
NAU crest
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. This large school is located in Flagstaff, Arizona, and it awarded 6 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 NAU Geological & Earth Sciences Report

21

Texas A&M University - San Antonio came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Texas A&M San Antonio is located in San Antonio, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Full Texas A&M San Antonio Geological & Earth Sciences Report

22
Tarleton crest
Tarleton State University
Stephenville, Texas

Tarleton State University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Tarleton is located in Stephenville, Texas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Full Tarleton Geological & Earth Sciences Report

23
Baylor crest
Baylor University
Waco, Texas

Baylor University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Baylor University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Waco, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Baylor University

24

University of New Mexico - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #24. University of New Mexico - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It awarded 3 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UNM

25

Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 7 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 4.5% 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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at ASU - Tempe

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