2026 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in Utah

[Geological & Earth Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/geological-and-earth-sciences/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong geological & earth sciences education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value geological & earth sciences schools.
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2026 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in Utah
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the geological & earth sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools
Southern Utah University tops our 2026 list of the best value geological & earth sciences schools in Utah. Southern Utah University is a very large public school located in the town of Cedar City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,962, with out-of-state students paying around $21,192. Typical student debt for geological & earth sciences graduates is $12,886. Soon after graduation, geological & earth sciences degree recipients from Southern Utah University generally make around $44,998. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 82%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Utah State University earned it the #2 place for geological & earth sciences. Set in the city of Logan, Utah State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,560 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $24,993. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $16,191 in student loans. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates of Utah State University earn a median of $50,348 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,191 median debt. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Utah came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value geological & earth sciences schools. University Of Utah is a very large public school located in the city of Salt Lake City. In-state tuition and fees average $9,620, compared with $30,860 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for geological & earth sciences graduates is $20,798. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates of University Of Utah earn a median of $49,446 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Utah admits about 86% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked 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 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.