College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Focused Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences in California

102 Ranked Colleges
$32,400 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2021-2022, 6,214 people earned their degree in geology & earth sciences, making the major the 125th most popular in the United States.

Across California, there were 724 geology & earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California” ranking looked at 102 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences. That schools that top this list have a program in geology & earth sciences in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Geology Rankings Other Ranking Categories

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California” list to help you make the college decision.

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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California

The colleges and universities below are the best for california geology students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences in California

1

Out of the 102 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #1 spot on the list. This small school is located in Pasadena, California, and it awarded 9 ’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 99%.

Full California Institute of Technology Geology & Earth Sciences Report

2
Oxy crest
Occidental College
Los Angeles, California

Out of the 102 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Occidental College landed the #2 spot on the list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s geology degrees to 7 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 92%.

Full Oxy Geology & Earth Sciences Report

3
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. Stanford University is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 56 ’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Stanford

4
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Humboldt State University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California. Humboldt State University is a medium-sized school located in Arcata, California that handed out 22 ’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Humboldt State University

5
Pitzer crest
Pitzer College
Claremont, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Pitzer College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 2 ’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad 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%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Pitzer College

6

University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #6 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. UC Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 48 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, 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 more about Geology & Earth Sciences at University of California - Santa Cruz

7

University of California - Merced ranked #7 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. University of California - Merced is a medium-sized school located in Merced, California that handed out 12 ’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UC Merced Geology & Earth Sciences Report

8

University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. UCSB is a large public school situated in Santa Barbara, California. It awarded 55 ’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

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 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 full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at University of California - Santa Barbara

9

With a ranking of #9, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 62 students in 2021-2022.

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%. 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 UC Irvine

10

California State University - Bakersfield came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. Bakersfield, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 18 students in 2021-2022.

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 more about Geology & Earth Sciences at California State University - Bakersfield

11

California State University - Stanislaus did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking, coming in at #11. Stan State is a fairly large public school situated in Turlock, California. It awarded 8 ’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

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 Stan State Geology & Earth Sciences Report

12

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a large public school situated in Pomona, California. It awarded 21 ’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

13

With a ranking of #13, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. UCR is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, 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 88%.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at UCR

14
SSU crest
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, California

Sonoma State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. Sonoma State University is a medium-sized school located in Rohnert Park, California that handed out 7 ’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 Sonoma State University

15
Scripps crest
Scripps College
Claremont, California

Scripps College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 0 degrees to qualified ’s geology students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Scripps College

16

California State University - Los Angeles ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. California State University - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 10 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Cal State LA

17

University of California - Davis ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. Located in Davis, California, this large public school handed out 22 diplomas to qualified ’s geology students in 2021-2022.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at University of California - Davis

18
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University ranked #18 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geology degrees to 26 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at SDSU

19
Pomona crest
Pomona College
Claremont, California

With a ranking of #19, Pomona College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. Pomona is a private not-for-profit institution located in Claremont, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Pomona

20

With a ranking of #20, California State University - Fresno did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 10 ’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Fresno State

21

With a ranking of #21, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school handed out 30 diplomas to qualified ’s geology students in 2021-2022.

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 Sac State

22
Claremont McKenna crest
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, California

Claremont McKenna College ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. Claremont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s geology degrees to 0 students in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Claremont McKenna College

23

University of California - San Diego landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. UCSD is a large school located in La Jolla, California that handed out 34 ’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UCSD Geology & Earth Sciences Report

24
Lassen Community College crest
Lassen Community College
Susanville, California

Lassen Community College ranked #24 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. Lassen Community College is a public institution located in Susanville, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 Lassen Community College

25
CHC crest
Crafton Hills College
Yucaipa, California

Crafton Hills College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking, coming in at #25. CHC is located in Yucaipa, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1 ’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Crafton Hills College

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options