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2023 Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region

11 Ranked Colleges
263 Degrees Awarded
$31,134 Avg Salary
Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor's

With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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 Plains States region, there were 430 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,405 and $25,612 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 263 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,046 and $29,021 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 11 colleges that offer a degree in geological and earth sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent geological and earth sciences programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the geological and earth sciences program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Geological & Earth Sciences Schools

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The geology school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s”.

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. 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 Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s”.

Top 11 Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s list. UMN Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree vets studying geology list, UMN Twin Cities has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 752 of the 52,017 students enrolled at UMN Twin Cities were GI Bill® students, of which 436 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,020. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 full report on veteran student life at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities]](/colleges/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/student-life/veterans/)

2
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

Out of the 11 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Iowa City, Iowa, this large public school awarded 8 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree vets studying geology list, Iowa has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 30,318 students enrolled at Iowa were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Iowa offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Iowa]](/colleges/university-of-iowa/student-life/veterans/)

3

Out of the 11 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa State University landed the #3 spot on the list. Iowa State University is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Iowa State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Our most recent data shows that 814 of the 31,822 students enrolled at Iowa State University were GI Bill® students, of which 388 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,933. To help with additional expenses, 9 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Iowa State University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Missouri - Columbia. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s list. Mizzou is a large public school situated in Columbia, Missouri. It awarded 5 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Mizzou also took the #6 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Mizzou supports 31,089 students, and 5 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 5 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,384. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Mizzou]](/colleges/university-of-missouri-columbia/student-life/veterans/)

5
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Kansas. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s list. University of Kansas is a large school located in Lawrence, Kansas that handed out 8 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

KU also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #8.Among the 26,744 students enrolled at KU, 70 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 40 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,917. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Kansas Veteran Student Life Report

6

Missouri State University - Springfield came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s ranking. Missouri State University - Springfield is located in Springfield, Missouri and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree vets studying geology list, Missouri State has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Among the 23,505 students enrolled at Missouri State, 5 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,830. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Missouri State offers credit for military training for eligible students.

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

Read More…

7

With a ranking of #7, University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Duluth, Minnesota, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Duluth also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #7.According to our most recent data, University of Minnesota - Duluth supports 10,275 students, and 249 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 88 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,883. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Minnesota - Duluth]](/colleges/university-of-minnesota-duluth/student-life/veterans/)

8

University of Minnesota - Morris ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s list. UMN Morris is a public institution located in Morris, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree vets studying geology list, UMN Morris has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Among the 1,339 students enrolled at University of Minnesota - Morris, 17 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 8 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,785. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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

Read More…

9

University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #9. University of Missouri - Kansas City is a fairly large public school situated in Kansas City, Missouri. It awarded 4 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

UMKC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Of the 16,147 students enrolled at University of Missouri - Kansas City, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Missouri - Kansas City does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

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

Full University of Missouri - Kansas City Veteran Student Life Report

10
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s ranking. Winona State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Winona, Minnesota. It awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree vets studying geology list, Winona State has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Winona State University supports 7,106 students, and 142 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 69 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,645. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

11
Carleton crest
Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

Carleton College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Geology for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #11. Carleton is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northfield, Minnesota. It awarded 21 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.

Carleton also took the #4 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Carleton College supports 1,940 students, and 18 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 14 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $19,697. On top of their other funding sources, 14 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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 low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Carleton Veteran Student Life Report

Notes and References

References

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