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2023 Most Popular Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences

140 Ranked Colleges
734 Degrees Awarded
$56,185 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 for a Doctorate” 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.

At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 734 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,260 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate” ranking, we looked at 140 colleges that offer a degree in geological and earth sciences. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in geological and earth sciences.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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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 for a Doctorate” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate

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

1
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Houston. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate list. UH is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 31 doctorate’s 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full UH Geological & Earth Sciences Report

2
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate. Stanford University is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29 doctorate’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 0.5%, 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.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Stanford

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - San Diego. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate. UCSD is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 22 doctorate’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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UCSD

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Columbia University in the City of New York. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate. Columbia University in the City of New York is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 21 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 1.7%, 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.

Full Columbia University in the City of New York Geological & Earth Sciences Report

5
The Graduate Center crest
The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The Graduate Center, CUNY. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate list. This medium-sized school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 16 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at The Graduate Center, CUNY

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

5
U Miami crest
University of Miami
Coral Gables, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Miami. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate list. Coral Gables, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s geology degrees to 16 students 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Miami Geological & Earth Sciences Report

8

With a ranking of #8, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate list. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s geology degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, 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 Austin

9

With a ranking of #9, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 14 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Ohio State

9

With a ranking of #9, Massachusetts Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate list. This fairly large school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 14 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Massachusetts Institute of Technology Geological & Earth Sciences Report

9

With a ranking of #9, California Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate list. California Institute of Technology is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 doctorate’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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 Caltech

12

University of Colorado Boulder came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate ranking. CU - Boulder is located in Boulder, Colorado and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 doctorate’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Colorado Boulder Geological & Earth Sciences Report

13

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #13. University of Oklahoma is a large public school situated in Norman, Oklahoma. It awarded 12 doctorate’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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Oklahoma

13

University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate ranking. This large school is located in Tampa, Florida, and it awarded 12 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, 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 92%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of South Florida - Main Campus

13

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #13. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is a large school located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that handed out 12 doctorate’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 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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

16

Texas A&M University - College Station ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate list. Located in College Station, Texas, this large public school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s geology students in 2020-2021.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

17

With a ranking of #17, University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate list. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school awarded 10 degrees to qualified doctorate’s geology students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, 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 California - Santa Cruz

17

With a ranking of #17, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate list. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s geology degrees to 10 students 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UC Berkeley

17

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate list. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s geology degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

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

20
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate ranking. USC is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 doctorate’s geology degrees to qualified students.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Southern California

20
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #20. This large school is located in Blacksburg, Virginia, and it awarded 9 doctorate’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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Virginia Tech

20
UW crest
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming

University of Wyoming ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate list. UW is a fairly large public school situated in Laramie, Wyoming. It awarded 9 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UW

20

With a ranking of #20, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 9 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

20
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate ranking. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 9 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UChicago

20
URI crest
University of Rhode Island
Kingston, Rhode Island

University of Rhode Island came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate ranking. Kingston, Rhode Island is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s geology degrees to 9 students 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at URI

20

University of California - Davis landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate ranking. Located in Davis, California, this large public school handed out 9 degrees to qualified doctorate’s geology students in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full UC Davis Geological & Earth Sciences Report

20

University of California - Irvine came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Doctorate ranking. UC Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 9 doctorate’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 Irvine

Notes and References

References

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