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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences

450 Ranked Colleges
5,389 Degrees Awarded
$36,687 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Geology Major

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Geological & Earth Sciences is the 95th most popular major in the country with 8,124 degrees awarded in 2021-2022. In , geological & earth sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $38,869 and had an average of $22,278 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,389 geological & earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,724 and $23,030 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major” ranking looked at 450 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in geological & earth sciences. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in geological & earth sciences.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major”.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences

1
USCGA crest
United States Coast Guard Academy
New London, Connecticut

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend United States Coast Guard Academy. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. New London, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 39 students in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at USCGA

2
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Northland College
Ashland, Wisconsin

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northland College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. This small school is located in Ashland, Wisconsin, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Northland

3
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Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carleton College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major. Carleton is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northfield, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Carleton College

4
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Colorado College
Colorado Springs, Colorado

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Colorado College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major. Colorado College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Colorado College

5
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United States Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend United States Naval Academy. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. United States Naval Academy is a small school located in Annapolis, Maryland that handed out 47 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Full Annapolis Geological & Earth Sciences Report

6
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Bowdoin College
Brunswick, Maine

Bowdoin College ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Brunswick, Maine is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 21 students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Bowdoin College

7
8

University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown is a public institution located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad 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%.

Full Pitt Johnstown Geological & Earth Sciences Report

9
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Susquehanna University
Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania

Susquehanna University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #9. Susquehanna is a small school located in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania that handed out 7 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Susquehanna

10

With a ranking of #10, Hobart and William Smith Colleges did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Hobart and William Smith Colleges is located in Geneva, New York and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Hobart and William Smith Colleges Geological & Earth Sciences Report

11

University of Pittsburgh - Bradford did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #11. University of Pittsburgh - Bradford is located in Bradford, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Pitt Bradford Geological & Earth Sciences Report

12
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Beloit College
Beloit, Wisconsin

Beloit College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. This small school is located in Beloit, Wisconsin, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Beloit Geological & Earth Sciences Report

13
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Bates College
Lewiston, Maine

Bates College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Lewiston, Maine is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 14 students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Bates College

14
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University of Florida-Online
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida-Online landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. University of Florida-Online is a medium-sized public school situated in Gainesville, Florida. It awarded 22 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UF Online

15

Washington and Lee University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #15. This small school is located in Lexington, Virginia, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Washington and Lee University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

16
Oxy crest
Occidental College
Los Angeles, California

Occidental College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #16. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 7 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Occidental College

17
Union College crest
Union College New York
Schenectady, New York

Union College New York ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Union College New York is a small school located in Schenectady, New York that handed out 7 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Union College Geological & Earth Sciences Report

18
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Smith College
Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Located in Northampton, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 15 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Smith Geological & Earth Sciences Report

19
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Marietta College
Marietta, Ohio

With a ranking of #19, Marietta College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Located in Marietta, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Marietta Geological & Earth Sciences Report

20

With a ranking of #20, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. SD Mines is a small school located in Rapid City, South Dakota that handed out 13 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

21
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Whitman College
Walla Walla, Washington

Whitman College ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. This small school is located in Walla Walla, Washington, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Whitman College

22
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Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi

Mississippi State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Mississippi State University is a large school located in Mississippi State, Mississippi that handed out 87 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Mississippi State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

23

With a ranking of #23, University of Maine at Farmington did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. UMaine Farmington is a small public school situated in Farmington, Maine. It awarded 8 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UMaine Farmington

24
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Allegheny College
Meadville, Pennsylvania

Allegheny College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Meadville, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 4 students in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Allegheny

25
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Juniata College
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania

Juniata College landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. This small school is located in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Juniata College

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
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Williams College
Williamstown, MA
28
SUNY Geneseo crest
SUNY Geneseo
Geneseo, NY
29
30
31
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Hamilton College
Clinton, NY
32
33
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Macalester College
Saint Paul, MN
34
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Albion College
Albion, MI
35
36
37
38
39
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Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT
40
41
42
43
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Guilford College
Greensboro, NC
44
45
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Earlham College
Richmond, IN
46
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Hanover College
Hanover, IN
47
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Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA
48
Trinity U crest
Trinity University
San Antonio, TX
49
SUNY Potsdam crest
SUNY Potsdam
Potsdam, NY
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Eastern Connecticut State UniversityWillimantic, CT
52Salish Kootenai CollegePablo, MT
53Oberlin CollegeOberlin, OH
54MSU TexasWichita Falls, TX
55SUNY New PaltzNew Paltz, NY
56Franklin and Marshall CollegeLancaster, PA
57Western Colorado UniversityGunnison, CO
58Cornell CollegeMount Vernon, IA
59University of Hawaii at HiloHilo, HI
60Rocky Mountain CollegeBillings, MT
61William & MaryWilliamsburg, VA
62Westminster College UtahSalt Lake City, UT
63Lehigh UniversityBethlehem, PA
64Augustana CollegeRock Island, IL
65Pitzer CollegeClaremont, CA
RankCollegeLocation
66Concord UniversityAthens, WV
67Sewanee - The University of the SouthSewanee, TN
68Amherst CollegeAmherst, MA

Notes and References

References

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