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2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major

576 Ranked Colleges
7,821 Degrees Awarded
$34,600 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Geology Major

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Well Attended Geology Major” 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.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Geology Major” ranking, we looked at 576 colleges that offer a degree in geological and earth sciences. To top this list, a school must have a successful geological and earth sciences program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Geological & Earth Sciences Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Geology Rankings Other Ranking Categories

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Geology Major” list to help you make the college 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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Most Well Attended Geology Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Geology Major”.

1
Mississippi State crest
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Mississippi State University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major list. Mississippi State University is a large public school situated in Mississippi State, Mississippi. It awarded 181 ’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.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Mississippi State

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas A&M University - College Station. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Geology Major. Located in College Station, Texas, this large public school awarded 144 degrees to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Geology Major. UW Seattle is a large public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 127 ’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 2.1% 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%.

Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus Geological & Earth Sciences Report

4
Wazzu crest
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington State University. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Geology Major. This large school is located in Pullman, Washington, and it awarded 130 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Wazzu

5
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Houston. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major list. University of Houston is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 102 ’s 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UH Geological & Earth Sciences Report

6
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major list. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 100 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Stanford University

7
SNHU crest
Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester, New Hampshire

Southern New Hampshire University ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major list. This large school is located in Manchester, New Hampshire, and it awarded 79 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Southern New Hampshire University

8

With a ranking of #8, Columbia University in the City of New York did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major list. Columbia is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 92 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.

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 95%. 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.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Columbia

8

University of California - San Diego ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major list. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 75 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 UCSD Geological & Earth Sciences Report

8

University of North Carolina at Charlotte ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major list. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 75 diplomas to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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 University of North Carolina at Charlotte

8

University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major ranking. This large school is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 75 ’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 93%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Pitt

12
Oregon State crest
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

Oregon State University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major ranking. This large school is located in Corvallis, Oregon, and it awarded 74 ’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 2.8% 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%.

Full Oregon State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

13

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major ranking. Louisiana State University is a public institution located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 72 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Louisiana State University

14

University of California - Irvine did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major ranking, coming in at #14. UC Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 70 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, 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 University of California - Irvine

14
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

With a ranking of #14, University of Arizona did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major list. Tucson, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 72 students 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

16

University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major list. UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large public school situated in Santa Cruz, California. It awarded 65 ’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 2.9% 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 UC Santa Cruz

17

University of Colorado Boulder ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major list. Boulder, Colorado is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 64 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Colorado Boulder

18

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major ranking. U-M is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 62 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

19
University at Buffalo crest
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York

University at Buffalo ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major list. This large school is located in Buffalo, New York, and it awarded 58 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University at Buffalo

19
Bloomsburg crest
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major ranking. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania is a public institution located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 58 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Bloomsburg Geological & Earth Sciences Report

21
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

Colorado School of Mines landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Golden, Colorado, and it awarded 58 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Colorado School of Mines

22
WWU crest
Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington

Western Washington University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major ranking. Western Washington University is a public institution located in Bellingham, Washington. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 55 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Western Washington University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

23

With a ranking of #23, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major list. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 54 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 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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin

24

University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #24 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major list. This large school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 53 ’s geology 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.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UCSB

25
Binghamton University crest
Binghamton University
Vestal, New York

Binghamton University ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major list. Binghamton University is a fairly large public school situated in Vestal, New York. It awarded 51 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Full Binghamton University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Most Well Attended Geology Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
26
28
28
28
WVU crest
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia
31
32
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas
33
MSU Bozeman crest
Montana State University
Bozeman, Montana
34
UW crest
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming
34
36
The Graduate Center crest
The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, New York
36
38
Georgia State crest
Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia
39
40
41
U Miami crest
University of Miami
Coral Gables, Florida
42
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
42
44
44
46
ETSU crest
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, Tennessee
46
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana
46
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
46
46
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended Geology Major

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV
51 Florida State University Tallahassee, FL
51 University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI
51 West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester, PA
55 The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX
55 Brown University Providence, RI
55 University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS
55 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC
55 University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI
55 United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD
61 University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
61 California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA
61 Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI
64 University of Florida Gainesville, FL
64 University of New Mexico - Main Campus Albuquerque, NM
Rank College Location
64 The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX
64 University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA
64 Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK
69 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
69 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
71 University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC
71 Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA
71 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR
71 Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH
71 Montclair State University Montclair, NJ
71 Princeton University Princeton, NJ
71 University of Oregon Eugene, OR
71 California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona, CA
79 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA
79 University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA
79 University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
79 United States Coast Guard Academy New London, CT
79 William & Mary Williamsburg, VA
79 University of New Hampshire - Main Campus Durham, NH
85 Portland State University Portland, OR
85 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
85 University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, AK
85 California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA
85 University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD
85 Brigham Young University - Provo Provo, UT
Rank College Location
85 Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ
85 Rice University Houston, TX
85 Florida International University Miami, FL

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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