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

39 Ranked Colleges
566 Degrees Awarded
$37,517 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Geology Major in California

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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.

Across California, there were 981 geological & earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,206 and $17,549 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 566 geological & earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,904 and $19,503 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California” ranking, we looked at 39 colleges that offer a degree in geological & earth sciences. That schools that top this list have a program in geological & earth sciences in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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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 “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California” 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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California

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

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

1
Oxy crest
Occidental College
Los Angeles, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Occidental College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California. Oxy is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 7 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% 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 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. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Oxy

2
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Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Humboldt State University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. Humboldt State University is a public institution located in Arcata, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Humboldt State University

3
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Pitzer College
Claremont, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Pitzer College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California. Pitzer College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 2 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Pitzer College

4

Out of the 39 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #4 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Santa Cruz, California, and it awarded 40 bachelors’s geology 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UC Santa Cruz

5
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Stanford University
Stanford, California

Out of the 39 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #5 spot on the list. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 38 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 Stanford University

6

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a large public school situated in San Luis Obispo, California. It awarded 23 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, 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 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

7

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Merced did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. UC Merced is a medium-sized school located in Merced, California that handed out 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of California - Merced

8
SSU crest
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, California

Sonoma State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking, coming in at #8. This medium-sized school is located in Rohnert Park, California, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Sonoma State University

9

University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking, coming in at #9. Santa Barbara, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 50 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, 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 91%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of California - Santa Barbara

10

California Institute of Technology ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. This small school is located in Pasadena, California, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 99%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at California Institute of Technology

11

California State University - Stanislaus came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. Turlock, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 8 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Stan State Geological & Earth Sciences Report

12

University of California - Irvine did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking, coming in at #12. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 40 students in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 UC Irvine Geological & Earth Sciences Report

13

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking, coming in at #13. Riverside, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 8 students in 2021-2022.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 UCR

14

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. Located in Pomona, California, this large public school handed out 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad 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 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

15
Scripps crest
Scripps College
Claremont, California

Scripps College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 0 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Full Scripps College Geological & Earth Sciences Report

16

With a ranking of #16, California State University - Bakersfield did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. California State University - Bakersfield is a medium-sized public school situated in Bakersfield, California. It awarded 11 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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at California State University - Bakersfield

17

California State University - Dominguez Hills came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. Carson, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 3 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 California State University - Dominguez Hills Geological & Earth Sciences Report

18
Pomona crest
Pomona College
Claremont, California

Pomona College landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 4 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%. 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.

Full Pomona Geological & Earth Sciences Report

19

University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking, coming in at #19. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

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 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at UC Berkeley

20
Claremont McKenna crest
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, California

Claremont McKenna College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. Claremont McKenna is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 0 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Claremont McKenna College Geological & Earth Sciences Report

21

California State University - Los Angeles landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 6 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Cal State LA

22

With a ranking of #22, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school handed out 40 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at California State University - Fullerton

23
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking, coming in at #23. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public 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 90%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at San Diego State University

24

California State University - Chico came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California ranking. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 8 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad 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%.

Full California State University - Chico Geological & Earth Sciences Report

25

With a ranking of #25, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in California list. University of California - Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 UC Davis

Notes and References

References

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