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2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid

16 Ranked Colleges
330 Degrees Awarded
$15,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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 Plains States region, there were 509 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $25,562 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 330 geological and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 16 colleges that offered a degree in geological and earth sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent geological and earth sciences programs, but they also cost less that 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 Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid” 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. 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 Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid.

Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Plains States Region (With Aid)

#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Missouri University of Science and Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid. Rolla, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 31 students in 2019-2020.

Missouri University of Science and Technology did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology is $14,262 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Missouri University of Science and Technology Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#11 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Morris landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Morris, Minnesota, this small public school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

UMN Morris not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UMN Morris is $11,412 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

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 more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Minnesota - Morris

#3

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Northern Iowa. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Cedar Falls, Iowa is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

UNI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Northern Iowa is $15,620 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Northern Iowa

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Iowa State University is a public institution located in Ames, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $15,496 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend Iowa State University.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Iowa State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#7 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #5 spot on the list. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

Mizzou also took the #7 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,001 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend University of Missouri - Columbia.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Mizzou Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#6

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school handed out 14 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend UMN Twin Cities is $17,740 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UMN Twin Cities

Northwest Missouri State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Maryville, Missouri, this medium-sized public school awarded 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid list, Northwest has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwest Missouri State University is $12,354 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Northwest

#13 in overall quality

Fort Hays State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. Fort Hays State University is located in Hays, Kansas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

FHSU also took the #13 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Fort Hays State University is $12,053 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

Full Fort Hays State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#9

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas
#6 in overall quality

Kansas State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. K -State is a large school located in Manhattan, Kansas that handed out 11 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

K -State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Kansas State University is $18,285 for Plains States 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 87%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Kansas State University

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is a public institution located in Rapid City, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid list, SD Mines has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SD Mines is $19,815 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full SD Mines Geological & Earth Sciences Report

#11

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Kansas is located in Lawrence, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

KU also made our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for University of Kansas is $18,918 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

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

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at KU

University of Minnesota - Duluth ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Duluth, Minnesota, this fairly large public school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

UMN Duluth did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $17,067 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Minnesota - Duluth

#13

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas

Wichita State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Wichita State University is a fairly large public school situated in Wichita, Kansas. It awarded 8 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

WSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend WSU is $14,382 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at WSU

#14

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri
#15 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. Kansas City, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid list, UMKC has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - Kansas City is $14,643 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Missouri - Kansas City

Missouri State University - Springfield landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Missouri State University - Springfield is located in Springfield, Missouri and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Missouri State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Missouri State is $16,725 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Missouri State University - Springfield

#16

Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, Minnesota
#8 in overall quality

Gustavus Adolphus College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Gustavus Adolphus College is a small school located in Saint Peter, Minnesota that handed out 4 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Gustavus Adolphus, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Gustavus Adolphus is $19,093 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Gustavus Adolphus

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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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