by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 128 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for geology & earth sciences students pursuing a bachelor's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 4,075 bachelor's degrees in geology & earth sciences to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
The geology bachelor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for geology & earth sciences students working on their bachelor's degree.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor's Degree Schools list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in geology & earth sciences. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
Every student who is interested in a bachelor's degree in geology & earth sciences has to take a look at University of California - Berkeley. UC Berkeley is a very large public university located in the city of Berkeley.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of California - Berkeley
Texas A&M University - College Station is a great choice for students pursuing a bachelor's degree in geology & earth sciences. Located in the midsize city of College Station, Texas A&M College Station is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from Texas A&M University - College Station
University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a great decision for individuals interested in a bachelor's degree in geology & earth sciences. Located in the city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of Washington - Seattle Campus
It is hard to beat University of Arizona if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree in geology & earth sciences. Located in the large city of Tucson, University of Arizona is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of Arizona
Located in the large city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of Wisconsin - Madison
Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Pitt is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus
Located in the suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of California - Santa Barbara
U-M is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Ann Arbor.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Located in the city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from The University of Texas at Austin
Located in the small suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of California - Davis
UC Santa Cruz is a large public university located in the small city of Santa Cruz.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of California - Santa Cruz
UCSD is a fairly large public university located in the city of La Jolla.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of California - San Diego
Located in the city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from Columbia University in the City of New York
UC Irvine is a fairly large public university located in the city of Irvine.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of California - Irvine
Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of California - Los Angeles
U of U is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Salt Lake City.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of Utah
Ohio State is a very large public university located in the city of Columbus.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from Ohio State University - Main Campus
UW is a fairly large public university located in the remote town of Laramie.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of Wyoming
Located in the midsize suburb of Norman, University of Oklahoma is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
UNH is a large public university located in the fringe town of Durham.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of New Hampshire - Main Campus
Located in the large city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Located in the large suburb of Buffalo, University at Buffalo is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University at Buffalo
UNC Chapel Hill is a very large public university located in the city of Chapel Hill.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Located in the town of Storrs, UCONN is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from University of Connecticut
Vanderbilt is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Nashville.More information about a bachelor’s in geology & earth sciences from Vanderbilt University
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor's Degree Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick | New Brunswick, NJ |
| 27 | Washington State University | Pullman, WA |
| 28 | University of Massachusetts Amherst | Amherst, MA |
| 29 | University of Nebraska - Lincoln | Lincoln, NE |
| 30 | University of Nevada - Reno | Reno, NV |
| 31 | Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI |
| 32 | University of Houston | Houston, TX |
| 33 | University of Florida | Gainesville, FL |
| 34 | University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA |
| 35 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Champaign, IL |
| 36 | Iowa State University | Ames, IA |
| 37 | Colorado State University - Fort Collins | Fort Collins, CO |
| 38 | Western Washington University | Bellingham, WA |
| 39 | University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder, CO |
| 40 | Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, NY |
| 41 | North Carolina State University | Raleigh, NC |
| 42 | Purdue University - Main Campus | West Lafayette, IN |
View the Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
Geology & Earth Sciences is one of 7 different types of Geological & Earth Sciences programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Other Geological & Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 584 |
| Chemical & Physical Oceanography | 234 |
| Geophysics & Seismology | 73 |
| Hydrology & Water Resources Science | 35 |
| Geochemistry | 12 |
| Paleontology | 9 |
