2023 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
Finding the Best Geological & Earth Sciences School for You
In 2020-2021, 7,821 people earned a degree or certificate in geological and earth sciences, making the major the #96 most popular in the United States.
Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
The Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 206 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best value programs for geology students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
Featured Geology Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
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Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality in Geological & Earth Sciences
Our 2023 rankings named Brigham Young University - Idaho the best value school in the United States for geological and earth sciences students. BYU - I is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the distant town of Rexburg.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at BYU - I are $4,416 a year.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Middlesex County College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools list. Located in the large suburb of Edison, Middlesex County College is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Middlesex County College are $7,992 per year.
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A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Brigham Young University - Provo is a great value for geological and earth sciences students. BYU is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Provo.
BYU undergraduate students pay an average of $6,120 in tuition and fees each year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, BYU also is in the top 20% of our Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools ranking.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Western Carolina University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools list. WCU is a large public school located in the distant town of Cullowhee.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WCU are $8,367 per year.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools list. UW - River Falls is a medium-sized public school located in the distant town of River Falls.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UW - River Falls are $15,661 a year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UW - River Falls also is in the top 10% of our Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools ranking.
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University of Florida-Online did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for geological and earth sciences students. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in the medium-sized city of Gainesville, UF Online is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
UF Online undergraduate students pay an average of $16,579 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that geology majors at UF Online take out is $15,337.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UF Online also is in the top 10% of our Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools ranking.
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University of Wyoming did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for geological and earth sciences students. It came in at #7 on the list. Located in the town of Laramie, UW is a public school with a fairly large student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UW are $16,957 per year. While working on their degree, geology majors at UW accumulate an average of around $24,000 in student debt.
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With a ranking of #8, Illinois State University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for geological and earth sciences students. Located in the midsize suburb of Normal, Illinois State is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Illinois State undergraduate students pay an average of $24,172 in tuition and fees each year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Illinois State also is in the top 10% of our Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools ranking.
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Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools ranking. SRU is a moderately-sized public school located in the distant town of Slippery Rock.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SRU are $14,615 per year. Geology majors at SRU take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, SRU also is in the top 20% of our Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools ranking.
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Edinboro University of Pennsylvania ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools list. Edinboro is a small public school located in the town of Edinboro.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Edinboro are $15,062 a year. The average amount in student loans that geology majors at Edinboro take out is $25,000.
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University of Akron Main Campus landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value geological and earth sciences programs. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large public school located in the medium-sized city of Akron.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at University of Akron Main Campus are $11,880 per year. Geology majors at University of Akron Main Campus take out an average of $22,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
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California State University - Long Beach came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools ranking. CSULB is a very large public school located in the city of Long Beach.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at CSULB are $18,726 per year.
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California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value geological and earth sciences programs. Located in the large suburb of Pomona, Cal Poly Pomona is a public school with a fairly large student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Cal Poly Pomona are $19,319 per year. After completing their degree, geology graduates from Cal Poly Pomona carry an average student debtload of $18,579.
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With a ranking of #14, Clarion University of Pennsylvania did quite well on this year’s best value schools for geological and earth sciences students. Clarion University is a small public school located in the remote town of Clarion.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Clarion University are $16,052 per year.
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With a ranking of #15, Western Illinois University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for geological and earth sciences students. WIU is a moderately-sized public school located in the remote town of Macomb.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WIU are $13,297 per year.
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East Tennessee State University landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value geological and earth sciences programs. Located in the small city of Johnson City, ETSU is a public school with a large student population.
ETSU undergraduate students pay an average of $12,740 in tuition and fees each year.
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With a ranking of #17, Texas A&M University - Kingsville did quite well on this year’s best value schools for geological and earth sciences students. Located in the town of Kingsville, Texas A&M Kingsville is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Texas A&M Kingsville are $25,746 a year.
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University of Houston came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools ranking. Located in the large city of Houston, UH is a public school with a fairly large student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UH are $21,891 per year. On average, geology graduates from UH take out $21,550 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Lock Haven University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for geological and earth sciences students. It came in at #19 on the list. Located in the distant town of Lock Haven, LHU is a public college with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at LHU are $20,702 per year.
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The University of Texas at Austin came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools ranking. UT Austin is a very large public school located in the city of Austin.
UT Austin undergraduate students pay an average of $40,996 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, geology majors at UT Austin accumulate an average of around $16,479 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $171.
UT Austin also claimed a spot on our Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
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With a ranking of #21, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania did quite well on this year’s best value schools for geological and earth sciences students. East Stroudsburg University is a moderately-sized public school located in the small city of East Stroudsburg.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at East Stroudsburg University are $19,797 per year.
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California State University - Sacramento came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools ranking. Located in the city of Sacramento, Sac State is a public college with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Sac State are $19,272 a year. The average amount in student loans that geology majors at Sac State take out is $17,487.
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California University of Pennsylvania came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools ranking. Cal U is a medium-sized public school located in the suburb of California.
Cal U undergraduate students pay an average of $15,726 in tuition and fees each year.
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University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value geological and earth sciences programs. UW - Eau Claire is a fairly large public school located in the city of Eau Claire.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UW - Eau Claire are $17,149 per year. On average, geology graduates from UW - Eau Claire take out $19,500 in student loans while working on their degree.
UW - Eau Claire also claimed a spot on our Best Geological & Earth Sciences Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
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Missouri State University - Springfield ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools list. Missouri State is a very large public school located in the city of Springfield.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Missouri State are $16,498 per year. While working on their degree, geology majors at Missouri State accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt.
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Honorable Mentions
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Northern Illinois University | Dekalb, IL |
| 32 | Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania | Bloomsburg, PA |
| 33 | Grand Valley State University | Allendale, MI |
| 34 | Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, FL |
| 35 | Austin Peay State University | Clarksville, TN |
| 36 | University of Delaware | Newark, DE |
| 37 | Oklahoma State University - Main Campus | Stillwater, OK |
| 37 | University of Houston - Downtown | Houston, TX |
| 39 | Iowa State University | Ames, IA |
| 40 | Stockton University | Galloway, NJ |
| 41 | University of Nevada - Reno | Reno, NV |
Geological & Earth Sciences by Region
View the Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
More Geological & Earth Sciences Rankings
Geological & Earth Sciences Related Majors for Geology
Geological & Earth Sciences is one of 8 different types of programs to choose from.
Majors Similar to Geology
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 21,239 |
| Physics | 13,674 |
| General Physical Sciences | 3,823 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 1,375 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 1,140 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 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 the rest 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Kelvinsong.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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