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2023 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Southeast Region

76 Ranked Colleges
1,002 Degrees Awarded
$33,995 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor's

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 “Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s” 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 Southeast region, there were 1,540 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,423 and $24,357 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,002 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,400 and $27,180 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 76 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in geological and earth sciences. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in geological and earth sciences.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s

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

1
Mississippi State crest
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi

Out of the 76 schools in the Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Mississippi State University landed the #1 spot on the list. Mississippi State is a public institution located in Mississippi State, Mississippi. The school has a large population, and it awarded 96 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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

Full Mississippi State Geological & Earth Sciences Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s. University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a large school located in Charlotte, North Carolina that handed out 65 bachelors’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 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of North Carolina at Charlotte

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s list. Louisiana State University is a large public school situated in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It awarded 40 bachelors’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 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

4
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West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend West Virginia University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s list. WVU is a large school located in Morgantown, West Virginia that handed out 37 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at WVU

5
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James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend James Madison University. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s. Harrisonburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 34 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full JMU Geological & Earth Sciences Report

6
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #6, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s list. North Carolina State University is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, 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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at North Carolina State University

7

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a large public school situated in Knoxville, Tennessee. It awarded 31 bachelors’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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

8

University of North Carolina at Wilmington landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. UNCW is a public institution located in Wilmington, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Carolina at Wilmington Geological & Earth Sciences Report

9

University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #9. USF Tampa is located in Tampa, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at USF Tampa

10
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East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, Tennessee

With a ranking of #10, East Tennessee State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s list. East Tennessee State University is a fairly large public school situated in Johnson City, Tennessee. It awarded 28 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at East Tennessee State University

11
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at William & Mary

12
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University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this large public school handed out 23 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Florida

13
Georgia State crest
Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia

Georgia State University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Georgia State University is a large public school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 19 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

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

14
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University of Florida-Online
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida-Online did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this medium-sized public school awarded 18 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 University of Florida-Online

14
Middle Tennessee State University crest
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Middle Tennessee State University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Middle Tennessee State University is a large public school situated in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It awarded 18 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Middle Tennessee State University

16

University of South Carolina - Columbia came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Columbia, South Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.

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 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UofSC Geological & Earth Sciences Report

16
Austin Peay State University crest
Austin Peay State University
Clarksville, Tennessee

Austin Peay State University ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s list. Austin Peay State University is a public institution located in Clarksville, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Austin Peay State University

16
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

With a ranking of #16, Appalachian State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Boone, North Carolina, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

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 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%.

Full Appalachian State Geological & Earth Sciences Report

16
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s list. This fairly large school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s geology degrees 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. 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 0.9% 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%.

Full Vanderbilt Geological & Earth Sciences Report

20
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Greenville, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

Full East Carolina University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

20
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

University of Arkansas ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s list. Fayetteville, Arkansas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 15 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 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UARK

22

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s list. UNC Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

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 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UNC Chapel Hill

22

With a ranking of #22, Washington and Lee University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s list. Washington and Lee University is located in Lexington, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Washington and Lee University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

22
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Blacksburg, Virginia, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Virginia Tech

25

Florida International University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. FIU is located in Miami, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, 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 FIU

25
UNO crest
University of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana

University of New Orleans did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #25. UNO is located in New Orleans, Louisiana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Full UNO Geological & Earth Sciences Report

25
C of C crest
College of Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina

College of Charleston did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Charleston, South Carolina, this fairly large public school awarded 13 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at C of C

25
UA crest
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The University of Alabama came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major in the Southeast Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. The University of Alabama is a large school located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama that handed out 13 bachelors’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 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 The University of Alabama

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