Most Selective Highest Earnings Best Value Free Tuition UK Universities

Best Schools for Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences graduates earn a median of $35,482 within two years of graduation, ranking #147 out of 292 tracked majors. There are 158 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 3,266 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Lehigh University graduates earn $61,020 while Smith College graduates earn $11,851 — a $49,169 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap.

Early career salary growth is modest: Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences graduates see an average 2% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

158
Schools
$35,482
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#147
of 292 Majors
3,266
Graduates

Public vs Private: Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

Public (140 schools)
$35,722
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (17 schools)
$33,943
avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools produce comparable or higher early earnings for Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, often at lower tuition — making them strong value options for this major.

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences by State

California
13 schools
$38,677
New York
13 schools
$31,107
Texas
12 schools
$39,664
Pennsylvania
11 schools
$40,601
Tennessee
7 schools
$32,388
Ohio
7 schools
$34,684
Michigan
7 schools
$35,858
Washington
6 schools
$34,372

Top Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
L

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA · Private

$61,020
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 29.3%
#2
L

Lafayette College

Easton, PA · Private

$57,318
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 31.5%
#3
C

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA · Public

$55,512
2yr Earnings
1yr: $45,731
Grads: 23
Acceptance: 93.6%
#4
U

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI · Public

$53,358
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,352
Grads: 34
Acceptance: 43.4%
#5
K

Kean University

Union, NJ · Public

$52,107
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,636
Grads: 39
Acceptance: 76.9%
#6
C

California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA · Public

$50,856
2yr Earnings
1yr: $49,915
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 47.1%
#7
C

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA · Public

$50,439
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 96.4%
#8
U

University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ · Public

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,259
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 85.7%
#9
T

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX · Public

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $48,555
Grads: 37
Acceptance: 29.1%
#10
U

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, ND · Public

$45,918
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 77.1%
#11
G

Georgia Southern University

Statesboro, GA · Public

$45,696
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,206
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 89.6%
#12
C

Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Fort Collins, CO · Public

$45,618
2yr Earnings
1yr: $45,548
Grads: 42
Acceptance: 89.6%
#13
U

University of Nevada-Reno

Reno, NV · Public

$44,971
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 85.3%
#14
M

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, TN · Public

$44,971
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,095
Grads: 25
Acceptance: 68.0%
#15
U

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Honolulu, HI · Public

$44,384
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 69.7%
#16
U

University of Nevada-Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV · Public

$43,798
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,765
Grads: 27
Acceptance: 96.3%
#17
W

Winona State University

Winona, MN · Public

$43,426
2yr Earnings
1yr: $25,427
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 68.5%
#18
T

The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX · Public

$43,128
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,213
Grads: 34
Acceptance: 81.3%
#19
C

California State University-Chico

Chico, CA · Public

$42,774
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 93.7%
#20
M

Missouri State University-Springfield

Springfield, MO · Public

$42,728
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,737
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 91.0%
#21
C

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Pomona, CA · Public

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $49,680
Grads: 36
Acceptance: 73.7%
#22
U

Union College

Schenectady, NY · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,796
Grads: 21
Acceptance: 43.8%
#23
N

North Dakota State University-Main Campus

Fargo, ND · Public

$42,682
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 95.8%
#24
M

Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville, PA · Public

$42,682
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 89.4%
#25
T

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX · Public

$42,682
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 94.2%
#26
T

The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX · Public

$42,188
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 84.5%
#27
W

William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ · Public

$41,937
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 92.5%
#28
U

University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, CO · Public

$41,565
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,605
Grads: 32
Acceptance: 83.3%
#29
U

University of Akron Main Campus

Akron, OH · Public

$41,565
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,306
Grads: 48
Acceptance: 70.9%
#30
T

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX · Private

$41,565
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 42.6%
#31
C

Central Washington University

Ellensburg, WA · Public

$41,565
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,804
Grads: 26
Acceptance: 90.2%
#32
S

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, TX · Public

$41,193
2yr Earnings
1yr: $27,960
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 85.4%
#33
A

Augustana College

Rock Island, IL · Private

$41,025
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 67.7%
#34
U

University of Houston

Houston, TX · Public

$40,827
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,637
Grads: 86
Acceptance: 69.5%
#35
T

The University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa, AL · Public

$40,647
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 75.8%
#36
M

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI · Public

$40,647
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,719
Grads: 35
Acceptance: 83.9%
#37
T

Texas A&M University-College Station

College Station, TX · Public

$40,461
2yr Earnings
1yr: $44,059
Grads: 105
Acceptance: 63.2%
#38
N

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, IL · Public

$40,188
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 70.5%
#39
W

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI · Public

$39,729
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,192
Grads: 23
Acceptance: 84.7%
#40
K

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown, PA · Public

$39,729
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 94.8%
#41
E

Eastern Connecticut State University

Willimantic, CT · Public

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,802
Grads: 28
Acceptance: 80.5%
#42
H

Hanover College

Hanover, IN · Private

$39,369
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 84.0%
#43
S

SUNY Oneonta

Oneonta, NY · Public

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,410
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 70.2%
#44
W

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, PA · Public

$39,369
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 79.2%
#45
U

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA · Public

$39,009
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,137
Grads: 35
Acceptance: 41.6%
#46
U

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA · Public

$39,009
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,107
Grads: 50
Acceptance: 62.5%
#47
G

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA · Public

$39,009
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,578
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 88.8%
#48
B

Boise State University

Boise, ID · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,068
Grads: 31
Acceptance: 84.0%
#49
L

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Baton Rouge, LA · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,819
Grads: 49
Acceptance: 74.0%
#50
O

Ohio University-Main Campus

Athens, OH · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,792
Grads: 20
Acceptance: 84.8%

Showing top 50 of 158 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations $35,979 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas $35,811 Funeral Service and Mortuary Science $35,803 Apparel and Textiles $35,696 Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services $35,508 Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics $35,464

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences?
Lehigh University ranks #1 for Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences with median graduate earnings of $61,020 within two years. There are 158 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences graduates earn?
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences graduates earn an average of $35,482 within two years of graduation. This is near the median across all majors. Earnings range from $11,851 to $61,020 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences program?
The average acceptance rate across Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences programs is 72.3%. The most selective program is at Columbia University in the City of New York with a 4.2% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences?
Private Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences programs average $33,943 in early earnings vs $35,722 at public schools. Public schools offer competitive earnings at typically lower cost, making them strong value options.

Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders.

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