2026 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in Missouri
[Geological & Earth Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/geological-and-earth-sciences/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong geological & earth sciences education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for geological & earth sciences students.
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2026 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in Missouri
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in geological & earth sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools
Missouri State University Springfield earned the #1 spot for value among geological & earth sciences schools in Missouri. Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public school located in the city of Springfield. In-state tuition and fees average $9,502, with out-of-state students paying around $18,770. Students borrow a median of $28,000 to complete the geological & earth sciences program here. Early-career geological & earth sciences graduates make about $34,481. That is a strong return on a $28,000 median debt. Missouri State University Springfield admits about 90% of applicants.
University Of Missouri Columbia is a great value for students pursuing a degree in geological & earth sciences, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. In-state tuition and fees average $14,837, while out-of-state students pay about $36,056. Students borrow a median of $21,818 to complete the geological & earth sciences program here. Soon after graduation, geological & earth sciences degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia generally make around $53,134. Set against $21,818 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Washington University In St Louis earned it the #3 place for geological & earth sciences. Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of St. Louis. Students from in state pay about $65,790 in tuition and fees. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $17,553 in student loans. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates of Washington University In St Louis earn a median of $68,303 early in their careers. Set against $17,553 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 12%.
More Geological & Earth Sciences Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 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.
