Geology major goes by a few different names at different universities, such as geoscience and geology. In some universities it is under the broader umbrella of Earth Science. Generally speaking the study of geology and geoscience involves learning how different types of rocks were formed and what happened to them after their formation, such as through weathering, earthquakes and other Earth processes. Geology focuses on the nature of the ever-changing earth, including disciplines studying rocks, minerals, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, fossil fuels and the whole gamut of natural earth processes. In some ways, the study of geology provides the best evidence of the past history of the Earth, with rock and fossil evidence showing historic climate change phenomena, and the biologic history of the Earth.
20 Best Colleges for Geology and Geoscience
| Rank | College | City | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge | MA |
| 2 | Texas A&M University | College Station | TX |
| 3 | University of Texas | Austin | TX |
| 4 | California Institute of Technology | Pasadena | CA |
| 5 | University of Arizona | Tucson | AZ |
| 6 | Penn State | University Park | PA |
| 7 | University of Washington | Seattle | WA |
| 8 | University of Colorado | Boulder | CO |
| 9 | Stanford University | Palo Alto | CA |
| 10 | University of Michigan | Ann Arbor | MI |
| 11 | Princeton University | Princeton | NJ |
| 12 | Columbia University | New York | NY |
| 13 | Yale University | New Haven | CT |
| 14 | University Of Wisconsin | Madison | WI |
| 15 | University of California - Berkeley | Berkeley | CA |
| 16 | University of California - Los Angeles | Los Angeles | CA |
| 17 | University of California - San Diego | San Diego | CA |
| 18 | Harvard University | Cambridge | MA |
| 19 | University of Maryland | College Park | MD |
| 20 | Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta | GA |
More information on our RealRankTM analytics used in creating this ranking can be found on the About page.
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Economic Value of A Geology Degree
Most entry-level jobs in geology and geoscience require at least a bachelors degree in the field. Some jobs may require an advanced degree for further promotion, such as a Masters or Doctorate in the field. Most colleges require a broad grounding in the field as degree requirements, including courses in structural geology, minerology and petrology. Examples of the types of careers utilizing a Geology degree include:
- Geologist
- Geochemist
- Geophysicist
- Petroleum Geologist
- Seismologist
- Mineralogist
- Hydrologist
- Oceanographer
- Paleontologist
- Oil and Gas research.
- Academics and teaching.
Geology Has a Relatively High Earning Potential for Undergraduates
The job market for Geology majors has been relatively favorable for recent college graduates. Students who major in Geology or Geoscience as undergraduates typically can qualify for relatively high paying entry level jobs in their field.
