by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.
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.
Across the Rocky Mountains region, there were 526 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,791 and $24,175 respectively.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking looked at 37 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region”.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Blackfeet Community College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region. BCC is located in Browning, Montana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Colorado School of Mines. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region. Colorado School of Mines is a medium-sized public school situated in Golden, Colorado. It awarded 58 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Colorado College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region. Colorado College is a small school located in Colorado Springs, Colorado that handed out 16 ’s geology degrees 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. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Colorado College
Out of the 37 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Montana Technological University landed the #4 spot on the list. Montana Tech is a small school located in Butte, Montana that handed out 8 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Montana Tech
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Salish Kootenai College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region. Salish Kootenai College is a public institution located in Pablo, Montana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Salish Kootenai College Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Fort Lewis College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region ranking, coming in at #6. Durango, Colorado is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.
University of Wyoming came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region ranking. UW is a fairly large public school situated in Laramie, Wyoming. It awarded 45 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Wyoming Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Montana State University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region ranking. Montana State University is located in Bozeman, Montana and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 47 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 Montana State University
Western Colorado University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region ranking. Western Colorado University is a small school located in Gunnison, Colorado that handed out 5 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Western Colorado University Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Rocky Mountain College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region ranking, coming in at #10. Rocky is a private not-for-profit institution located in Billings, Montana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Westminster College Utah ranked #11 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region list. Westminster College Utah is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Salt Lake City, Utah. It awarded 6 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.
Full Westminster College Salt Lake Geological & Earth Sciences Report
University of Northern Colorado landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region ranking. University of Northern Colorado is a fairly large school located in Greeley, Colorado that handed out 23 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Northern Colorado
University of Idaho did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region ranking, coming in at #13. University of Idaho is a fairly large public school situated in Moscow, Idaho. It awarded 18 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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%.
University of Colorado Boulder ranked #14 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region list. This large school is located in Boulder, Colorado, and it awarded 64 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Colorado Boulder
The University of Montana ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region list. UM is a fairly large school located in Missoula, Montana that handed out 14 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at The University of Montana
Adams State University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region ranking. This small school is located in Alamosa, Colorado, and it awarded 4 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Adams State University
With a ranking of #17, Boise State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region list. This large school is located in Boise, Idaho, and it awarded 24 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 Boise State University
University of Utah landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region ranking. Salt Lake City, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 39 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Utah
Southern Utah University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region ranking. Southern Utah University is a public institution located in Cedar City, Utah. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 10 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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 more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Southern Utah University
With a ranking of #20, Lewis - Clark State College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region list. This small school is located in Lewiston, Idaho, and it awarded 3 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Lewis - Clark State College Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Brigham Young University - Provo ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region list. Located in Provo, Utah, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 26 degrees to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #22, Metropolitan State University of Denver did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region list. MSU Denver is a fairly large public school situated in Denver, Colorado. It awarded 10 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Metropolitan State University of Denver Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Utah State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region ranking, coming in at #23. Logan, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 18 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.
Idaho State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Pocatello, Idaho, and it awarded 7 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Colorado State University - Fort Collins did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Rocky Mountains Region ranking, coming in at #25. Fort Collins, Colorado is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
