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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Great Lakes Region

30 Ranked Colleges
181 Degrees Awarded
$29,900 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2021-2022, 8,124 people earned their degree in geological & earth sciences, making the major the 95th most popular in the United States. 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 the Great Lakes region, there were 1,044 geological & earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,990 and $22,113 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 181 geological & earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $59,182 and $43,142 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, we looked at 30 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.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region

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

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in the Great Lakes Region

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Michigan Technological University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Houghton, Michigan, this medium-sized public school awarded 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%.

Full Michigan Tech Geological & Earth Sciences Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wright State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Dayton, Ohio, this medium-sized public school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified masters’s geology 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%.

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

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bowling Green State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region. BGSU is a fairly large school located in Bowling Green, Ohio that handed out 6 masters’s geology degrees 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%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Bowling Green State University - Main Campus

4
WMU crest
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Western Michigan University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, this fairly large public school handed out 9 degrees to qualified masters’s geology students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 Western Michigan University

5

Out of the 30 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Northern Illinois University landed the #5 spot on the list. Northern Illinois University is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 8 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Northern Illinois University

6

Ohio University - Athens Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. OHIO Athens is located in Athens, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 36 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

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%.

Full OHIO Athens Geological & Earth Sciences Report

7
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 11 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Purdue Geological & Earth Sciences Report

8

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This large school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 5 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UWM

9

Kent State University at Kent landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Kent State is located in Kent, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 8 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Kent State University at Kent

10

Illinois State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Illinois State is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 9 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Illinois State

11

With a ranking of #11, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. SIUC is a public institution located in Carbondale, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 6 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at SIUC

12
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 9 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 99%, 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 0.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Northwestern University

13

Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #13. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 3 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at Indiana University - Bloomington

14

Miami University - Oxford ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large school located in Oxford, Ohio that handed out 7 masters’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. 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 Miami University - Oxford

15

With a ranking of #15, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is a large school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 4 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

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 Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

16
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Ball State University is a fairly large school located in Muncie, Indiana that handed out 2 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Ball State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

17

University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 14 degrees to qualified masters’s geology students in 2021-2022.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at UW - Madison

18
Indiana State crest
Indiana State University
Terre Haute, Indiana

Indiana State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Indiana State University is a medium-sized school located in Terre Haute, Indiana that handed out 4 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at Indiana State University

19
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

With a ranking of #19, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Michigan State is located in East Lansing, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

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 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 Michigan State University Geological & Earth Sciences Report

20

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a large school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 2 masters’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 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

21

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. U-M is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 3 masters’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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

22
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 16 masters’s geology degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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.

Full University of Chicago Geological & Earth Sciences Report

23

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ohio State is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 11 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

24

University of Akron Main Campus ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Akron, Ohio. It awarded 20 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 more about Geological & Earth Sciences at University of Akron Main Campus

25

University of Toledo ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geology Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Toledo is a fairly large public school situated in Toledo, Ohio. It awarded 1 masters’s geology 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%.

Full University of Toledo Geological & Earth Sciences Report

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