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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Southeast Region (With Aid)

53 Ranked Colleges
1,125 Degrees Awarded
$13,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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 Getting Aid” ranking looked at 53 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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 Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.

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. 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 in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Southeast Region (With Aid)

#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 Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #1 spot on the list. UF 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.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UF, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $6,302 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend University of Florida.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UF

#2

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid. UNC 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.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Chapel Hill is $12,352 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

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

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UNC Chapel Hill

#3

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Appalachian State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Appalachian State is a public institution located in Boone, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Appalachian State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $13,920 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend Appalachian State University.

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.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Appalachian State University

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of South Florida - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid. Tampa, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid list, USF Tampa has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus is $8,355 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

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.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of South Florida - Main Campus

Out of the 53 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Florida International University landed the #5 spot on the list. FIU is a public institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Florida International University is $7,296 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full Florida International University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#6

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Athens, Georgia 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 southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid list, UGA has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Georgia is $13,649 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UGA

#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 Getting Aid list. WVU is a large school located in Morgantown, West Virginia that handed out 56 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid list, WVU has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $12,983 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend WVU.

Full WVU Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#8

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. North Carolina State University is a large school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 28 bachelors’s geology degrees 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 $16,458 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

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 low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at NC State

#9

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Highland Heights, Kentucky, this fairly large public school awarded 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for NKU is $9,049 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

Full NKU Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#10

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida

With a ranking of #10, Florida Atlantic University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Boca Raton, Florida, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Florida Atlantic University is $10,186 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

Full Florida Atlantic University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#11

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

Florida State also took the #15 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Florida State is $9,789 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Florida State University

#12

Marshall University

Huntington, West Virginia

With a ranking of #12, Marshall University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Marshall University is a fairly large public school situated in Huntington, West Virginia. It awarded 7 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Marshall University is $8,370 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Marshall University

#13

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Middle Tennessee State University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Middle Tennessee State University is a public institution located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Middle Tennessee State University is $12,464 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

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

#14

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #14, William & Mary did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school situated in Williamsburg, Virginia. It awarded 22 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid list, William & Mary has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $19,800 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend William & Mary.

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 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full William & Mary 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 Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. This fairly large school is located in Lafayette, Louisiana, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,487 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Full University of Louisiana at Lafayette Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#16

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, James Madison University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

JMU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend James Madison University is $22,169 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, 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 students.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at JMU

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this large public school awarded 38 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Louisiana State University, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Louisiana State University is $15,465 for Southeast Region 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.

Full Louisiana State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#18

East Carolina University

Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Greenville, North Carolina, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ECU, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend ECU is $15,844 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at East Carolina University

#19

Georgia Southern University

Statesboro, Georgia

Georgia Southern University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Georgia Southern University is a large school located in Statesboro, Georgia that handed out 10 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

GaSou also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for GaSou is $15,536 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Georgia Southern University

#20

University of New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana

University of New Orleans did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. New Orleans, Louisiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,193 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend University of New Orleans.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of New Orleans

#21

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, North Carolina

University of North Carolina at Charlotte ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. UNC Charlotte is a large school located in Charlotte, North Carolina that handed out 57 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Charlotte, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $16,529 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of North Carolina at Charlotte

#22

Valdosta State University

Valdosta, Georgia

Valdosta State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. VSU is a fairly large school located in Valdosta, Georgia that handed out 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,969 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend Valdosta State University.

Full Valdosta State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#23

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

University of Southern Mississippi ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Southern Miss is a public institution located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,923 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend University of Southern Mississippi.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Southern Miss

#24

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, Mississippi

Mississippi State University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Mississippi State is a large school located in Mississippi State, Mississippi that handed out 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 is $16,173 for southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

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

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Mississippi State

#25

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Virginia Tech is a large school located in Blacksburg, Virginia that handed out 19 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid list, Virginia Tech has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $21,198 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

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

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Virginia Tech

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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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