College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major

208 Ranked Colleges
1,661 Degrees Awarded
$59,807 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Geology Major

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 Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major” 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.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,661 geological & earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,979 and $43,370 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major” ranking, we looked at 208 colleges that offer a degree in geological & earth sciences. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their geological & earth sciences program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Geological & Earth Sciences Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Geology Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The geology school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to 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 Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree geology students.

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

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology is a small public school situated in Socorro, New Mexico. It awarded 9 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Full New Mexico Tech Geological & Earth Sciences Report

2
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Colorado School of Mines. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Mines is located in Golden, Colorado and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 36 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 91%.

Full Colorado School of Mines Geological & Earth Sciences Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Institute of Technology. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major. Pasadena, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 14 students in 2021-2022.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 99%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

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

4

Out of the 208 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Montana Technological University landed the #4 spot on the list. This small school is located in Butte, Montana, and it awarded 9 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Montana Technological University

5
Mississippi State crest
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi

Out of the 208 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Mississippi State University landed the #5 spot on the list. Mississippi State, Mississippi is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 84 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

6
The Graduate Center crest
The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, New York

The Graduate Center, CUNY landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 7 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 0.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at The Graduate Center

7
University of Tulsa crest
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma

University of Tulsa came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. University of Tulsa is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It awarded 4 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Tulsa

8

University of Alaska Fairbanks came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. UAF is located in Fairbanks, Alaska and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 5 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Full University of Alaska Fairbanks Geological & Earth Sciences Report

9
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

With a ranking of #9, Stanford University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 30 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, 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 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Stanford University

10

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Odessa, Texas, and it awarded 7 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin

11

Michigan Technological University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Houghton, Michigan, this medium-sized public school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified masters’s geology students in 2021-2022.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Michigan Technological University

12
Southern Miss crest
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, Mississippi

University of Southern Mississippi did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #12. Hattiesburg, Mississippi is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 10 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad 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%.

Full University of Southern Mississippi Geological & Earth Sciences Report

13
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Princeton University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Princeton, New Jersey. It awarded 4 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Princeton

14
North Carolina Central University crest
North Carolina Central University
Durham, North Carolina

North Carolina Central University ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. North Carolina Central University is a public institution located in Durham, North Carolina. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at North Carolina Central University

15
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

Rice University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Rice University is a medium-sized school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 6 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Rice Geological & Earth Sciences Report

16

Wright State University - Main Campus came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Wright State University - Main Campus is a medium-sized public school situated in Dayton, Ohio. It awarded 5 masters’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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Wright State University - Main Campus

17

With a ranking of #17, University of Louisiana at Lafayette did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. This fairly large school is located in Lafayette, Louisiana, and it awarded 14 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Louisiana at Lafayette

18

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. This small school is located in Rapid City, South Dakota, and it awarded 3 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at SD Mines

19
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

With a ranking of #19, Brown University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major list. Brown University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Providence, Rhode Island. It awarded 8 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, 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 98%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Brown University

20

University of Hawaii at Manoa did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Honolulu, Hawaii, this fairly large public school handed out 16 degrees to qualified masters’s geology students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 UH Manoa Geological & Earth Sciences Report

21

Sul Ross State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Sul Ross is a small public school situated in Alpine, Texas. It awarded 6 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Sul Ross State University

22

University of North Carolina at Wilmington landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. University of North Carolina at Wilmington is a public institution located in Wilmington, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 21 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of North Carolina at Wilmington

23

Stephen F Austin State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking, coming in at #23. SFASU is a public institution located in Nacogdoches, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Stephen F Austin State University

24

Texas A&M University - College Station landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. Located in College Station, Texas, this large public school handed out 67 diplomas to qualified masters’s geology students in 2021-2022.

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

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Texas A&M University - College Station

25

University of California - San Diego landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major ranking. University of California - San Diego is a public institution located in La Jolla, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 52 masters’s 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 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of California - San Diego

Rest of the Best 32 in Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major

Not only did these schools make the top 32 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
28
29
30
31
Lehigh crest
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA
32

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options