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2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s

208 Ranked Colleges
1,663 Degrees Awarded
$59,807 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master's

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 Master’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,663 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s” ranking, we looked at 208 colleges that offer a degree in geological and earth sciences. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular geological and earth sciences programs in the United States.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s

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

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 for a Master’s list. Mississippi State University is located in Mississippi State, Mississippi and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 81 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

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 Mississippi State

2

Out of the 208 schools in the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Texas A&M University - College Station landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in College Station, Texas, and it awarded 64 masters’s geology degrees 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Texas A&M College Station Geological & Earth Sciences Report

3
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

Out of the 208 schools in the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Colorado School of Mines landed the #3 spot on the list. Mines is a public institution located in Golden, Colorado. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 50 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

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

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - San Diego. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 38 masters’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 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%.

Full University of California - San Diego Geological & Earth Sciences Report

4
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Out of the 208 schools in the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #4 spot on the list. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 38 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Stanford University

6
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

University of Houston did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #6. University of Houston is a large school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 28 masters’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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Houston

7
The Graduate Center crest
The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, New York

The Graduate Center, CUNY did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #7. The Graduate Center is located in New York, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at The Graduate Center, CUNY

8

Columbia University in the City of New York ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s list. Columbia is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 26 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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. 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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Columbia University in the City of New York

9
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

With a ranking of #9, University of Arizona did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s list. University of Arizona is located in Tucson, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

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 Arizona

10
Georgia State crest
Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia

With a ranking of #10, Georgia State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s list. Atlanta, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 23 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Georgia State

10

With a ranking of #10, University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s list. UW Seattle is a large school located in Seattle, Washington that handed out 23 masters’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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

12
Southern Miss crest
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, Mississippi

University of Southern Mississippi ranked #12 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s list. Southern Miss is a public institution located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 21 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Southern Mississippi

13

With a ranking of #13, University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s list. Norman, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

13

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College ranked #13 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s list. Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this large public school awarded 20 diplomas to qualified masters’s geology students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Louisiana State University

15
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s ranking. This large school is located in Tallahassee, Florida, and it awarded 19 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Florida State

16

University of North Carolina at Wilmington landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s ranking. University of North Carolina at Wilmington is a fairly large public school situated in Wilmington, North Carolina. It awarded 18 masters’s geology 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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UNCW

16

The University of Texas at Austin came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s ranking. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 18 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UT Austin

18

With a ranking of #18, University of Hawaii at Manoa did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s list. University of Hawaii at Manoa is located in Honolulu, Hawaii and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UH Manoa

18

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s ranking. This large school is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and it awarded 16 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Geological & Earth Sciences Report

20

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s ranking. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 15 masters’s geology degrees 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

20

With a ranking of #20, University of Louisiana at Lafayette did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s list. UL Lafayette is a fairly large public school situated in Lafayette, Louisiana. It awarded 15 masters’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Full UL Lafayette Geological & Earth Sciences Report

20

Wright State University - Main Campus came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s ranking. Wright State University - Main Campus is located in Dayton, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Full Wright State University - Main Campus Geological & Earth Sciences Report

23

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s ranking. Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, this large public school awarded 14 degrees to qualified masters’s geology students in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UT Knoxville

23
URI crest
University of Rhode Island
Kingston, Rhode Island

University of Rhode Island ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s list. Located in Kingston, Rhode Island, this fairly large public school handed out 14 degrees to qualified masters’s geology students 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%. 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 URI

23
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s ranking. Located in Lawrence, Kansas, this large public school awarded 14 degrees to qualified masters’s geology students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, 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 University of Kansas

23

California Institute of Technology came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s ranking. Caltech is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pasadena, California. It awarded 14 masters’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. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full California Institute of Technology Geological & Earth Sciences Report

Rest of the Best 37 in Most Well Attended Geology Major for a Master’s

Not only did these schools make the top 37 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

27
Oregon State crest
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon
27
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas
27
27
27
32
32
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas
32
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey
32
U Miami crest
University of Miami
Coral Gables, Florida
32
University at Buffalo crest
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
32
32

Notes and References

References

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