2023 Most Popular Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in California
104
Ranked Colleges
994
Degrees Awarded
$31,400
Avg Cost*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Well Attended Geology Major in California” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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 California, there were 994 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,206 and $19,545 respectively.
This year’s “Most Well Attended Geology Major in California” ranking analyzed 104 colleges that offered 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.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
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 California” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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. 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.
Most Well Attended Geology Major in California
The colleges and universities below are the best for california geology students.
Top 25 Most Popular Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in California
Out of the 104 schools in the Most Well Attended Geology Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Stanford, California, and it awarded 100 ’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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Stanford
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - San Diego. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in California list. Located in La Jolla, California, this large public school awarded 75 degrees to qualified ’s geology students 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
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Geology Major in California. University of California - Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 70 ’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 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%.
Full University of California - Irvine Geological & Earth Sciences Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Santa Cruz. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Geology Major in California. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 65 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UC Santa Cruz
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Santa Barbara. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Geology Major in California. This large school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 53 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UCSB
University of California - Berkeley came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major in California ranking. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school awarded 49 degrees to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of California - Berkeley
With a ranking of #7, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in California list. UC Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 43 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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 UC Davis Geological & Earth Sciences Report
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in California ranking, coming in at #8. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a large public school situated in San Luis Obispo, California. It awarded 39 ’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 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Geological & Earth Sciences Report
With a ranking of #9, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in California list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 31 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of California - Los Angeles Geological & Earth Sciences Report
California Institute of Technology landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in California ranking. Caltech is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 31 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Caltech Geological & Earth Sciences Report
University of California - Riverside landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in California ranking. UCR is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 30 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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 UCR
San Diego State University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in California ranking. San Diego State University is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 29 ’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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at San Diego State University
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in California ranking, coming in at #13. Pomona, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 28 students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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 Geological & Earth Sciences at Cal Poly Pomona
California State University - Fullerton came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major in California ranking. Cal State Fullerton is a large public school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 26 ’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 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Fullerton Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Humboldt State University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in California ranking. Humboldt State University is a public institution located in Arcata, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 24 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Humboldt State University
California State University - Fresno came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major in California ranking. Fresno, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 24 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, 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 87%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at California State University - Fresno
With a ranking of #17, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in California list. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 Sac State Geological & Earth Sciences Report
California State University - Los Angeles ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major in California list. California State University - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 19 ’s geology degrees 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%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at California State University - Los Angeles
California State University - Long Beach ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major in California list. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school handed out 18 degrees to qualified ’s geology students 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 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at California State University - Long Beach
With a ranking of #20, California State University - Bakersfield did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in California list. California State University - Bakersfield is a fairly large school located in Bakersfield, California that handed out 16 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Full California State University - Bakersfield Geological & Earth Sciences Report
California State University - Northridge landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in California ranking. Northridge, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.
Full CSUN Geological & Earth Sciences Report
Sonoma State University ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major in California list. SSU is a public institution located in Rohnert Park, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Sonoma State University
California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in California ranking, coming in at #22. Carson, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at California State University - Dominguez Hills
University of California - Merced did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major in California ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Merced, California, this medium-sized public school handed out 13 degrees to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
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%. 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 UC Merced
California State University - Stanislaus came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major in California ranking. California State University - Stanislaus is a fairly large public school situated in Turlock, California. It awarded 12 ’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 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 California State University - Stanislaus
college factual
