Best Geology and Earth Sciences Programs in the Midwest
Updated
Part of Best Physical Sciences Colleges in the Midwest
Regional list from Top Geology and Earth Sciences Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 33 Geology and Earth Sciences programs in the Midwest by median earnings of Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks 1st on this list, reporting median earnings of $68,201 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $68,201 to $31,848, with a median of $57,203. The gap between the top two programs is $1,279.
Public institutions account for 97% of the list, with 32 schools and a single private nonprofit. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ranks 16th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the best on the page. University of Illinois Chicago posts the lowest average net price, at $10,974.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL | $68,201 | $14,355 | $2,038 | 42.4% |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign reports median earnings of $68,201 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing, alongside a cohort of 18 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 2 | Ohio University-Main Campus · Athens, OH | $66,922 | $21,637 | $15,673 | 85.0% |
| With an admission rate of 85%, Ohio University-Main Campus ranks 2nd on this list and shows median earnings of $66,922 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | Iowa State University · Ames, IA | $65,204 | $18,589 | $10,582 | 88.7% |
| Iowa State University carries a median federal debt of $24,781 among Geology and Earth Sciences completers who borrowed, while its graduates four years after completing earn a median of $65,204. | |||||
| 4 | University of Minnesota-Duluth · Duluth, MN | $63,893 | $18,743 | $7,256 | 88.8% |
| University of Minnesota-Duluth posts an average net price of $18,743 and median earnings of $63,893 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI | $63,838 | $15,014 | $10,329 | 90.7% |
| Ranking 5th on this list, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee reports median earnings of $63,838 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Michigan State University · East Lansing, MI | $62,448 | $19,680 | $7,068 | 84.8% |
| Michigan State University sits 69th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $62,448 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | Grand Valley State University · Allendale, MI | $61,868 | $16,317 | $12,272 | 83.0% |
| Grand Valley State University admits 83% of applicants and lists median earnings of $61,868 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | University of Kansas · Lawrence, KS | $61,838 | $18,059 | $12,544 | 93.5% |
| University of Kansas reports a median federal debt of $26,469 among Geology and Earth Sciences completers who borrowed, paired with median earnings of $61,838 four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | University of Illinois Chicago · Chicago, IL | $61,206 | $10,974 | $7,529 | 77.4% |
| Holding the lowest average net price on the page at $10,974, University of Illinois Chicago shows median earnings of $61,206 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI | $60,949 | $13,138 | $1,043 | 15.6% |
| The most selective school on the list, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor admits 16% of applicants, and its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates earn a median of $60,949 four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN | $60,715 | $16,778 | $6,642 | 79.8% |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities reports an average net price of $16,778 and median earnings of $60,715 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | Miami University-Oxford · Oxford, OH | $59,558 | $28,384 | $16,015 | 75.4% |
| Miami University-Oxford carries a median federal debt of $19,500 among Geology and Earth Sciences completers who borrowed, while its graduates four years after completing earn a median of $59,558. | |||||
| 13 | Missouri University of Science and Technology · Rolla, MO | $59,252 | $16,298 | $10,912 | 72.6% |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology reports median earnings of $59,252 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $16,298. | |||||
| 14 | University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI | $58,771 | $17,354 | $4,200 | 45.2% |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison ranks 14th on this list, with a median federal debt of $24,250 among Geology and Earth Sciences completers who borrowed and an average net price of $4,200 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 15 | Western Michigan University · Kalamazoo, MI | $58,164 | $15,273 | $5,263 | 84.6% |
| With an admission rate of 85%, Western Michigan University reports median earnings of $58,164 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | Central Michigan University · Mount Pleasant, MI | $57,438 | $17,597 | $12,185 | 89.8% |
| Central Michigan University posts median earnings of $57,438 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing, alongside a median federal debt of $31,000 among Geology and Earth Sciences completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 17 | Wayne State University · Detroit, MI | $57,203 | $12,766 | $11,090 | 81.2% |
| Wayne State University ranks 80th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and carries an average net price of $12,766. | |||||
| 18 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire · Eau Claire, WI | $56,739 | $16,550 | $10,270 | 82.3% |
| University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire admits 82% of applicants and reports median earnings of $56,739 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 19 | University of Akron Main Campus · Akron, OH | $53,594 | $13,946 | $10,413 | 59.7% |
| A median federal debt of $24,000 among Geology and Earth Sciences completers who borrowed accompanies University of Akron Main Campus's 19th position on this list. | |||||
| 20 | Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH | $53,381 | $17,339 | $4,885 | 60.6% |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus reports median earnings of $53,381 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $4,885 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 21 | Illinois State University · Normal, IL | $53,272 | $19,398 | $11,568 | 88.2% |
| Illinois State University ranks 137th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with a median federal debt of $20,482 across all of the school's borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 22 | Wright State University-Main Campus · Dayton, OH | $50,824 | $15,415 | $11,952 | 96.3% |
| Wright State University-Main Campus admits 96% of applicants and reports median earnings of $50,824 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 23 | Missouri State University-Springfield · Springfield, MO | $48,191 | $17,613 | $13,718 | 90.5% |
| Missouri State University-Springfield ranks 23rd on this list, with a median federal debt of $24,984 among Geology and Earth Sciences completers who borrowed and an average net price of $17,613. | |||||
| 24 | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · Rapid City, SD | $48,069 | $20,183 | $15,348 | 79.9% |
| South Dakota School of Mines and Technology reports median earnings of $48,069 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $15,348 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 25 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside · Kenosha, WI | $47,123 | $11,772 | $7,425 | 75.4% |
| University of Wisconsin-Parkside reports median earnings of $47,123 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing, with 5 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 26 | University of Northern Iowa · Cedar Falls, IA | $46,986 | $15,901 | $10,863 | 92.7% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at University of Northern Iowa left with a median of $19,691 in federal loans, and the school admits 93% of applicants. | |||||
| 27 | Kent State University at Kent · Kent, OH | $46,171 | $20,787 | $15,280 | 86.3% |
| Kent State University at Kent ranks 415th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and carries an average net price of $20,787. | |||||
| 28 | Winona State University · Winona, MN | $43,426 | $17,503 | $10,224 | 75.5% |
| Winona State University ranks 28th on this list and posts an average net price of $10,224 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 29 | Augustana College · Rock Island, IL | $41,025 | $22,736 | $15,787 | 62.7% |
| A private nonprofit institution in Rock Island, Augustana College reports median earnings of $41,025 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 30 | Northern Illinois University · Dekalb, IL | $40,188 | $13,391 | $10,126 | 69.8% |
| Northern Illinois University shows an admission rate of 70% and an average net price of $13,391. | |||||
| 31 | Eastern Michigan University · Ypsilanti, MI | $33,993 | $15,407 | $13,250 | 79.6% |
| Eastern Michigan University ranks 319th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with median earnings of $33,993 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 32 | Wichita State University · Wichita, KS | $31,974 | $13,194 | $9,734 | 94.0% |
| Wichita State University reports 9 graduates in the earnings cohort and an average net price of $9,734 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 33 | University of Missouri-Columbia · Columbia, MO | $31,848 | $20,268 | $13,841 | 78.5% |
| University of Missouri-Columbia ranks 33rd on this list, with median earnings of $31,848 for its Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Geology and Earth Sciences graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Midwest appear. The median captures federally aided completers of a Geology and Earth Sciences program who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 6 of the 33 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Ohio University-Main Campus is $1,279, while the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $36,353.
Related rankings
- Best Colleges in the Midwest
- Best Physical Sciences Colleges in the Midwest
- Physical Sciences Colleges in the Midwest for Social Mobility