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2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k

44 Ranked Colleges
769 Degrees Awarded
$18,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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.

In 2019-2020, 8,918 people earned their degree in geological and earth sciences, making the major the 84th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, geological and earth sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $35,533 and had an average of $23,531 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 1,042 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,733 and $23,415 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 769 geological 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 44 colleges that offer a degree in geological and earth sciences. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality geological 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 geological and earth sciences program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Geological & Earth Sciences Schools

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 “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 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 Geological & 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 University is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $16,784 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Northwestern

Out of the 44 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. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 37 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

U-M also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for U-M 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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#3

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 6 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, UChicago has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Chicago is $17,929 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Chicago

#4

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin
#17 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Beloit College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k. Beloit is a small school located in Beloit, Wisconsin that handed out 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Beloit did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Beloit is $12,123 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Beloit College Geological & Earth Sciences Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school handed out 43 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. 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.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The 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 UW - Madison Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#6

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus 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 #6. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school awarded 28 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, Purdue has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $18,565 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Purdue

#7

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - River Falls ranked #7 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 Wisconsin - River Falls is a medium-sized school located in River Falls, Wisconsin that handed out 9 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - River Falls did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - 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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Wisconsin - River Falls

#8

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is a medium-sized public school situated in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. It awarded 11 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Stevens Point also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for 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 Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay 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 Green Bay, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, UW - Green Bay has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $16,604 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay.

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

#10

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #10, 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. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is a fairly large public school situated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It awarded 19 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Eau Claire, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $18,196 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full UW - Eau Claire Geological & Earth Sciences Report

With a ranking of #11, University of Wisconsin - Parkside 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. UW - Parkside is a small school located in Kenosha, Wisconsin that handed out 5 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Parkside is $14,993 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full UW - Parkside Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#12

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan

Grand Valley 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 #12. Grand Valley State University is located in Allendale, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 28 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

GVSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Grand Valley State University is $20,113 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.

Full GVSU Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#13

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University came in at #13 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. NIU is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Northern Illinois University is $21,425 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Northern Illinois University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh 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. UW Oshkosh is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $17,210 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UW Oshkosh.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

#23 in overall quality

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis 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 #15. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, this large public school handed out 16 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IUPUI, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for IUPUI is $17,952 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

Ohio State University - Main Campus 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. Ohio State is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ohio State, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State University - Main Campus is $21,364 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Ohio State University - Main Campus

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC also took the #20 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago 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 Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Illinois at Chicago

#18

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#18 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington 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. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $18,951 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%.

Full Indiana University - Bloomington Geological & Earth Sciences Report

With a ranking of #19, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 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. 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.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, UIUC has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Geological & 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.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

With a ranking of #20, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 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 Carbondale, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $20,698 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

#21

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana
#24 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 #21. Ball State University is located in Muncie, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Ball State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Geological & 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.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Ball State

#22

Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Purdue University Fort Wayne landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Purdue University Fort Wayne is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

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

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at PFW

#23

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana

University of Southern Indiana landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Evansville, Indiana, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $17,743 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Southern Indiana.

The low student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Southern Indiana

#24

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, Michigan

Eastern Michigan University came in at #24 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. Eastern Michigan University is a fairly large public school situated in Ypsilanti, Michigan. It awarded 13 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,598 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Eastern Michigan.

Full Eastern Michigan University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#25

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Central Michigan University is a public institution located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

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

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Central Michigan University

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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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