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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences (Income $75-$110k) in the Great Lakes Region

42 Ranked Colleges
723 Degrees Awarded
$18,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Geology & Earth Sciences is the 101st most popular major in the country with 7,036 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 951 geology and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 723 geology and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 42 colleges that offer a degree in geology and earth sciences. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality geology and earth sciences programs that also have a lower cost than 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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 for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences (Income $75-$110k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern University is $16,784 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 97%.

Full Northwestern University Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 42 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #2 spot on the list. U-M is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 37 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $18,039 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at U-M

#3

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin
#16 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Beloit College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Beloit College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Beloit, Wisconsin. It awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Beloit, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Beloit College is $12,123 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Since the school has a 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 student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Beloit

#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $21,860 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UW - Madison.

The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 95%.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#5

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $18,565 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Purdue University - Main Campus.

The 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 93%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Purdue University - Main Campus

#6

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
#9 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - River Falls came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in River Falls, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

UW - River Falls also took the #9 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - River Falls is $16,138 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Wisconsin - River Falls Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#7

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

UW - Stevens Point not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is $16,425 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

#20 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Green Bay, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

UW - Green Bay also took the #20 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is $16,604 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at UW - Green Bay

#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Eau Claire, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 19 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Eau Claire, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Eau Claire is $18,196 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

University of Wisconsin - Parkside landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UW - Parkside is located in Kenosha, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Parkside is $14,993 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at UW - Parkside

#11

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Grand Valley State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. GVSU is located in Allendale, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

GVSU also took the #14 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $20,113 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Grand Valley State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Grand Valley State University

#12

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#25 in overall quality

Northern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #12. NIU is a fairly large school located in Dekalb, Illinois that handed out 11 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU also took the #25 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NIU is $21,425 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Northern Illinois University

With a ranking of #13, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Oshkosh, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is $17,210 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#22 in overall quality

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.

IUPUI also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $17,952 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at IUPUI

#7 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school awarded 17 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $21,364 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.

The 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 94%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Ohio State

#19 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. UIC is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UIC is $20,270 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at UIC

#17

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#17 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school awarded 7 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $18,951 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Indiana University - Bloomington.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Indiana University - Bloomington

#5 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $21,998 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at UIUC

Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. SIUC is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 4 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for SIUC is $20,698 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at SIUC

#20

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana
#23 in overall quality

Ball State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #20. Muncie, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

Ball State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Ball State is $19,446 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Ball State Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#21

Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Purdue University Fort Wayne ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. PFW is a public institution located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend PFW is $15,968 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full PFW Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#22

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana

University of Southern Indiana ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Southern Indiana is located in Evansville, Indiana and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend USI is $17,743 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full USI Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#23

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, Michigan

Eastern Michigan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #23. This fairly large school is located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Michigan University is $18,598 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Eastern Michigan University

#24

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Mount Pleasant, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Central Michigan is $17,894 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Central Michigan

#25

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#10 in overall quality

Western Michigan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #25. WMU is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

WMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $23,352 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Western Michigan University.

Full WMU Geology & Earth Sciences Report

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Kelvinsong.

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