2025 Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California
18
Colleges in California
981
Geology Degrees Awarded
$43,196
Avg Early-Career Salary
A degree in
geological & earth sciences is more popular than many other degrees. In fact, it ranks #95 out of 395 on popularity of all such degrees in the nation. As a result, there are many college that offer the degree, making your choice of school a hard one.
College Factual looked at 18 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 981 degrees in geological & earth sciences annually.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great Geological & Earth Sciences School
The geology program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Geological & Earth Sciences rankings. For our Best Overall Geological & Earth Sciences School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Geological & Earth Sciences Rankings by Degree Level
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in California list, to help you choose the best school for you.
If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique 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.
If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.
Best Schools for Geological & Earth Sciences in California
The schools below may not offer all types of geology degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer.
10 Top California Schools in Geology
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
6th
Most Popular In CA
32
Geology Degrees Awarded
It's hard to beat University of California - Berkeley if you wish to pursue a degree in geological & earth sciences. UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.
There were approximately 32 geological & earth sciences students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in geological & earth sciences from University of California - Berkeley
University of California - Santa Barbara is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in geological & earth sciences. Located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #47 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UCSB is a great university overall.
There were roughly 59 geological & earth sciences students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the geology program earn an average of $30,759 for their early career.
More information about a degree in geological & earth sciences from University of California - Santa Barbara
Bachelors
Degree Type
BS in Geosciences
Program Name
Gain the analytical, technical and science communications skills you need to begin your career with this specialized online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
More information about a degree in BS in Geosciences from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
University of California - San Diego is a great option for students interested in a degree in geological & earth sciences. UCSD is a fairly large public university located in the large city of La Jolla. A Best Colleges rank of #49 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UCSD is a great university overall.
There were roughly 87 geological & earth sciences students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the geological & earth sciences program at University of California - San Diego earn $36,449 more than the typical college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a degree in geological & earth sciences from University of California - San Diego
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
9th
Most Popular In CA
47
Geology Degrees Awarded
It is difficult to beat University of California - Los Angeles if you want to pursue a degree in geological & earth sciences. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #28 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UCLA is a great university overall.
There were roughly 47 geological & earth sciences students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in geological & earth sciences from University of California - Los Angeles
Located in the suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #55 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UC Davis is a great university overall.
There were about 31 geological & earth sciences students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the geology program earn about $43,462 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a degree in geological & earth sciences from University of California - Davis
UC Irvine is a very large public university located in the large city of Irvine. A Best Colleges rank of #73 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UC Irvine is a great university overall.
There were about 62 geological & earth sciences students who graduated with this degree at UC Irvine in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the geology program earn around $38,804 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a degree in geological & earth sciences from University of California - Irvine
UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Santa Cruz. A Best Colleges rank of #91 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UC Santa Cruz is a great university overall.
There were roughly 53 geological & earth sciences students who graduated with this degree at UC Santa Cruz in the most recent year we have data available. After graduation, geology degree recipients generally make around $43,362 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a degree in geological & earth sciences from University of California - Santa Cruz
Bachelors
Degree Type
BS in Geosciences - Natural Resources Conservation
Program Name
Learn to manage and conserve our natural resources with this specialized online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
More information about a degree in BS in Geosciences - Natural Resources Conservation from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
Located in the small suburb of San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #165 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a great university overall.
There were about 23 geological & earth sciences students who graduated with this degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the most recent data year. Geological & Earth Sciences degree recipients from California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo earn a boost of around $5,293 over the typical income of geological & earth sciences graduates.
More information about a degree in geological & earth sciences from California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
CSULB is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Long Beach. This university ranks 36th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were about 23 geological & earth sciences students who graduated with this degree at CSULB in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in geological & earth sciences from California State University - Long Beach
Located in the suburb of Fullerton, Cal State Fullerton is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 41st out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.
There were about 44 geological & earth sciences students who graduated with this degree at Cal State Fullerton in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the geology program earn about $35,509 in the first couple years of working.
More information about a degree in geological & earth sciences from California State University - Fullerton
