2023 Best Value Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
29
Ranked Colleges
731
Degrees Awarded
$10,700
Avg Net Price*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 6,024 people earned their degree in geology and earth sciences, making the major the 125th most popular in the United States.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 731 geology and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 29 colleges that offer a degree in geology and earth sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent geology and earth sciences programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the geology and earth sciences program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
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 “Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.
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. 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.
Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 21 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $917 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 Northwestern Geology & Earth Sciences Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 62 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, U-M has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend U-M is $5,670 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at U-M
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 46 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $4,788 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, 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 more about Geology & Earth Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #4 spot on the list. Purdue is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 34 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Purdue not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue is $5,853 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Purdue
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 19 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $8,036 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
With a ranking of #6, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, IU Bloomington has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $7,061 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, 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 91%.
Full Indiana University - Bloomington Geology & Earth Sciences Report
Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school handed out 28 degrees to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, Ohio State has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $8,581 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.
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 Geology & Earth Sciences at Ohio State
Beloit College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Beloit is a private not-for-profit institution located in Beloit, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, Beloit has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Beloit College is $8,873 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.
Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Beloit
With a ranking of #9, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. IUPUI is a large school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 11 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
IUPUI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $8,216 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full IUPUI Geology & Earth Sciences Report
University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 23 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIC, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Chicago is $11,351 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%.
Full UIC Geology & Earth Sciences Report
With a ranking of #11, Ball State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Ball State is located in Muncie, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.
Ball State also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $10,786 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Ball State University.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%.
Full Ball State Geology & Earth Sciences Report
University of Wisconsin - River Falls came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UW - River Falls is a medium-sized school located in River Falls, Wisconsin that handed out 8 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, UW - River Falls has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $9,478 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full UW - River Falls Geology & Earth Sciences Report
Michigan State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 34 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
Michigan State also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $15,170 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Michigan State.
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 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Michigan State Geology & Earth Sciences Report
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is a fairly large public school situated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It awarded 8 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Eau Claire, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $10,658 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Western Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. WMU is a fairly large school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan that handed out 12 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, WMU has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for WMU is $15,552 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at WMU
Grand Valley State University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Grand Valley State University is a large public school situated in Allendale, Michigan. It awarded 11 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
GVSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend GVSU is $11,026 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 Geology & Earth Sciences at GVSU
Indiana State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Terre Haute, Indiana, this medium-sized public school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified ’s geology students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Indiana State is $10,911 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Indiana State University
With a ranking of #18, Wayne State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wayne State is a public institution located in Detroit, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 15 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Wayne State University is $11,414 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Wayne State University Geology & Earth Sciences Report
Illinois State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Illinois State is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 7 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois State, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $14,982 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Illinois State University
With a ranking of #20, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large school located in Oxford, Ohio that handed out 35 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Miami University - Oxford, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Oxford is $16,062 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.
Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Miami University - Oxford
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Bowling Green, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at BGSU, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is $14,822 for great lakes region geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Bowling Green State University - Main Campus
With a ranking of #22, Wright State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Dayton, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 37 students in 2020-2021.
Wright State University - Main Campus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Wright State University - Main Campus is $13,747 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Wright State University - Main Campus Geology & Earth Sciences Report
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a public institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 19 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UWM, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,351 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UWM.
Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
With a ranking of #24, Eastern Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and it awarded 6 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Michigan University is $13,265 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Eastern Michigan University Geology & Earth Sciences Report
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UC is a large school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 22 ’s geology degrees in 2020-2021.
UC also took the #12 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is $15,966 for Great Lakes Region Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 Geology & Earth Sciences at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus
