2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (With Aid)
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking.
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.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 6,087 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 266 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.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the geological and earth sciences program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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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 For Those Getting Aid”.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences (With Aid)
Out of the 266 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #1 spot on the 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 bachelor’s degree geology students with aid list, UW - Madison has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $17,708 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.
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 student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, 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 - Madison
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. UW Seattle is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 116 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, UW Seattle is in the top on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UW Seattle is $13,297 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Washington - Seattle Campus
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. University of Florida is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 36 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UF also did well on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $6,302 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend University of Florida.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, 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 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Florida Geological & Earth Sciences Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas of the Permian Basin. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid. The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is located in Odessa, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $10,092 for bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend The University of Texas of the Permian Basin.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UT Permian Basin
Out of the 266 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #5 spot on the list. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UNC Chapel Hill is also in the top of our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $12,352 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend UNC Chapel Hill.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UNC Chapel Hill
Missouri University of Science and Technology came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Rolla, Missouri, this medium-sized public school awarded 31 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree geology students with aid list, Missouri University of Science and Technology has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $14,262 for bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Missouri University of Science and Technology
California State University - Los Angeles ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Cal State LA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 10 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Cal State LA is $2,768 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Cal State LA
The City College of New York came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. CCNY is a fairly large school located in New York, New York that handed out 11 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $2,385 for bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend CCNY.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at The City College of New York
California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school handed out 38 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Cal State Fullerton is $7,991 for bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Cal State Fullerton
California State University - Long Beach ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. California State University - Long Beach is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.
CSULB also claimed a top spot on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for CSULB is $9,622 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
California State University - Bakersfield ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Bakersfield, California, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - Bakersfield is $5,318 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at California State University - Bakersfield
With a ranking of #12, Massachusetts Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 7 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.
MIT also took the #2 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,636 for bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 3 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 98%. The low 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%.
University of Wyoming ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. University of Wyoming is located in Laramie, Wyoming and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 43 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.
UW excels when it comes to geology quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend UW is $12,159 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Brigham Young University - Idaho landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Brigham Young University - Idaho is a large school located in Rexburg, Idaho that handed out 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend BYU - I is $7,167 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Brigham Young University - Idaho
Appalachian State University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Boone, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 33 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $13,920 for bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend Appalachian State.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Appalachian State
With a ranking of #16, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Purdue is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $13,986 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend Purdue.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 Geological & Earth Sciences at Purdue University - Main Campus
With a ranking of #17, The University of Texas at Dallas did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. UT Dallas is a large school located in Richardson, Texas that handed out 15 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Dallas is $15,232 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, 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 90%.
Full The University of Texas at Dallas Geological & Earth Sciences Report
University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 28 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $8,355 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend USF Tampa.
The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 92%.
Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of South Florida - Main Campus
With a ranking of #19, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school awarded 37 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $15,336 for bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend U-M.
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%.
With a ranking of #20, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. UC Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 52 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for UC Irvine is $14,783 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.
The low student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UC Irvine
The University of Texas at Austin landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Austin, Texas, this large public school awarded 42 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.
UT Austin also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Austin is $18,023 for bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, 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 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #22, University of Houston did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. UH is a large school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 50 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
UH also claimed a top spot on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of Houston is $12,838 for bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #23. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 15 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.
UIUC also claimed a top spot on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $15,880 for bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%.
University of Nevada - Las Vegas landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, this large public school handed out 41 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $11,424 for bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend UNLV.
California State University - Sacramento came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Sacramento is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $9,979 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.
The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%.
Rest of the Best 40 in Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid
Not only did these schools make the top 40 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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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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