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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Southwest Region

68 Ranked Colleges
961 Degrees Awarded
$28,800 Avg Cost*
Schools 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. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region” ranking.

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.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region” ranking, we looked at 68 colleges that offer 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.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region”.

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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region”.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Southwest Region

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. This small school is located in Socorro, New Mexico, and it awarded 17 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

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.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

2
University of Tulsa crest
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Out of the 68 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Tulsa landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Tulsa is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It awarded 17 ’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. 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%.

Full University of Tulsa Geological & Earth Sciences Report

3
Trinity U crest
Trinity University
San Antonio, Texas

Out of the 68 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Trinity University landed the #3 spot on the list. This small school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 9 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Trinity U

4
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

Out of the 68 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Rice University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Houston, Texas, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 26 diplomas to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Rice University

5
MSU Texas crest
MSU Texas
Wichita Falls, Texas

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend MSU Texas. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region. MSU Texas is a public institution located in Wichita Falls, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 14 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full MSU Texas Geological & Earth Sciences Report

6

Sul Ross State University ranked #6 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. Sul Ross is located in Alpine, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Sul Ross

7
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

University of Houston landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. This large school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 102 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Houston Geological & Earth Sciences Report

8
Mesalands Community College crest
Mesalands Community College
Tucumcari, New Mexico

Mesalands Community College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Mesalands Community College is located in Tucumcari, New Mexico and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Full Mesalands Community College Geological & Earth Sciences Report

9

Texas A&M University - Kingsville ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. Texas A&M Kingsville is located in Kingsville, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Texas A&M Kingsville

10

Texas A&M University - College Station came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools 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 144 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

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

11

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Odessa, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

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

12

Stephen F Austin State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #12. SFASU is a fairly large public school situated in Nacogdoches, Texas. It awarded 19 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at SFASU

13

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. This large school is located in Norman, Oklahoma, and it awarded 45 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Oklahoma Geological & Earth Sciences Report

14
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

University of Arizona did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #14. University of Arizona is a large public school situated in Tucson, Arizona. It awarded 72 ’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

15

Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Corpus Christi, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Texas A&M Corpus Christi

16

University of New Mexico - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #16. University of New Mexico - Main Campus is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 30 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of New Mexico - Main Campus

17
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas

With a ranking of #17, Texas Tech University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. This large school is located in Lubbock, Texas, and it awarded 47 ’s geology 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 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Texas Tech University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

18

University of Houston - Downtown did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #18. UH Downtown is a fairly large public school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 18 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UH Downtown

19

With a ranking of #19, Oklahoma State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. OSU is a large public school situated in Stillwater, Oklahoma. It awarded 30 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at OSU

20

New Mexico State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #20. NMSU Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Las Cruces, New Mexico that handed out 14 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Full New Mexico State University - Main Campus Geological & Earth Sciences Report

21
Baylor crest
Baylor University
Waco, Texas

Baylor University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. Located in Waco, Texas, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 22 degrees to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Baylor University

22
SJC crest
San Juan College
Farmington, New Mexico

With a ranking of #22, San Juan College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. San Juan College is a medium-sized public school situated in Farmington, New Mexico. It awarded 5 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at San Juan College

23

The University of Texas at Dallas landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. The University of Texas at Dallas is located in Richardson, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.

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 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full The University of Texas at Dallas Geological & Earth Sciences Report

24

The University of Texas at San Antonio landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region ranking. The University of Texas at San Antonio is a large school located in San Antonio, Texas that handed out 39 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at The University of Texas at San Antonio

25

With a ranking of #25, The University of Texas at El Paso did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Southwest Region list. The University of Texas at El Paso is a large school located in El Paso, Texas that handed out 18 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

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

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