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

53 Ranked Colleges
1,125 Degrees Awarded
$16,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Geological & Earth Sciences is the 84th most popular major in the country with 8,918 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. 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 Southeast region, there were 1,684 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,940 and $23,131 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,125 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking looked at 53 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in geological and earth sciences. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great geological and earth sciences programs and 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 geological and earth sciences program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Geological & Earth Sciences Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k” 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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

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

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast 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 Southeast Region

#1

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 53 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #1 spot on the list. UF is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 36 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UF is $12,685 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Florida

#2

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Georgia. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k. UGA is a public institution located in Athens, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UGA, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UGA is $17,105 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

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

Full University of Georgia Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#3

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#9 in overall quality

Out of the 53 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Vanderbilt University landed the #3 spot on the list. Vanderbilt is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Vanderbilt also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt is $14,890 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Vanderbilt

#4

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northern Kentucky University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. NKU is a public institution located in Highland Heights, Kentucky. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northern Kentucky University is $12,301 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at NKU

Out of the 53 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Florida International University landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Miami, Florida, this large public school handed out 15 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for FIU is $13,821 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full FIU Geological & Earth Sciences Report

With a ranking of #6, University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. USF Tampa is located in Tampa, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 28 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, USF Tampa has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $14,214 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full USF Tampa Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#7

West Virginia University

Morgantown, West Virginia

With a ranking of #7, West Virginia University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. WVU is a large public school situated in Morgantown, West Virginia. It awarded 56 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

WVU also took the #10 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend West Virginia University is $16,189 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full WVU Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#8

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in Tallahassee, Florida, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, Florida State has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $15,074 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Florida State University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Florida State University

#9

Marshall University

Huntington, West Virginia

Marshall University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #9. This fairly large school is located in Huntington, West Virginia, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Marshall University is $12,613 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Marshall University

#10

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
#5 in overall quality

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

UNC Chapel Hill also took the #5 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $18,354 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, 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 95%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

#11

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school situated in Williamsburg, Virginia. It awarded 22 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

William & Mary not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $20,416 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at William & Mary

#12

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #12, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 28 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

NC State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for North Carolina State University is $19,541 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at NC State

#13

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Boone, North Carolina, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Appalachian State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Appalachian State is $18,376 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Appalachian State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

University of Louisiana at Lafayette did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #14. UL Lafayette is a fairly large school located in Lafayette, Louisiana that handed out 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UL Lafayette is $15,202 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full UL Lafayette Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#15

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. FAU is a public institution located in Boca Raton, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $16,249 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Florida Atlantic University.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Florida Atlantic University

#16

Georgia Southern University

Statesboro, Georgia

With a ranking of #16, Georgia Southern University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. GaSou is a public institution located in Statesboro, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

GaSou also took the #23 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Georgia Southern University is $18,255 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at GaSou

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is a large public school situated in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It awarded 38 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k list, Louisiana State University has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is $20,965 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

#18

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Middle Tennessee State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Middle Tennessee State University is located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 33 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $17,177 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Middle Tennessee State University.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Middle Tennessee State University

#19

Murray State University

Murray, Kentucky

Murray State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #19. Murray State University is located in Murray, Kentucky and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $13,484 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Murray State.

Full Murray State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#20

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

University of Southern Mississippi did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, this fairly large public school handed out 9 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Southern Miss is $18,514 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Southern Mississippi

#21

University of New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana

University of New Orleans ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of New Orleans is a medium-sized public school situated in New Orleans, Louisiana. It awarded 18 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UNO is $14,467 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UNO

#22

Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, Kentucky

With a ranking of #22, Western Kentucky University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Bowling Green, Kentucky is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Western Kentucky University is $15,642 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Western Kentucky University

#23

University of West Georgia

Carrollton, Georgia

University of West Georgia ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of West Georgia is a fairly large school located in Carrollton, Georgia that handed out 15 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of West Georgia is $19,129 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full University of West Georgia Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#24

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, North Carolina

Western Carolina University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Western Carolina University is $16,857 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Western Carolina University

#25

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, Mississippi

Mississippi State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #25. This large school is located in Mississippi State, Mississippi, and it awarded 63 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Mississippi State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Mississippi State University is $19,558 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Mississippi State University Geological & 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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