2026 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in Wisconsin
[Geological & Earth Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/geological-and-earth-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for geological & earth sciences students.
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2026 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in Wisconsin
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in geological & earth sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools
Leading the list is University Of Wisconsin Madison, our #1 best value for geological & earth sciences in Wisconsin. Located in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,603, compared with $42,103 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the geological & earth sciences program here. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates of University Of Wisconsin Madison earn a median of $43,068 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee earned it the #2 place for geological & earth sciences. Set in the city of Milwaukee, University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,398, compared with $22,398 for out-of-state students. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geological & earth sciences degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee generally make around $42,932. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Wisconsin Eau Claire earned it the #3 place for geological & earth sciences. University Of Wisconsin Eau Claire is a large public school located in the city of Eau Claire. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,642, with out-of-state students paying around $19,228. Students borrow a median of $21,000 to complete the geological & earth sciences program here. Soon after graduation, geological & earth sciences degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Eau Claire generally make around $44,207. That is a strong return on a $21,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
