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Geological & Earth Sciences at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

If you are interested in studying Geological & Earth Sciences, consider the program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The following information will help you decide if it is a good fit for you.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is in Blacksburg, VA.

For the most recent IPEDS reporting year, 38 geological & earth sciences degrees were awarded at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Online Class Availability at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Distance learning is available at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Of 38,857 students, 1,577 (4%) studied exclusively online and 19,313 (50%) took at least some classes online.

Geological & Earth Sciences Rankings at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Use these rankings to compare Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University’s Geological & Earth Sciences program to other colleges that offer this major.

Master’s-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Schools (Quality)	Virginia	#2 of 5
Best Value	Virginia	#5 of 5
Best Schools (Quality)	Southeast (Region)	#8 of 37
Best Value	Southeast (Region)	#35 of 37
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#42 of 162
Best Value	Nationwide	#144 of 161

Doctoral-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Schools (Quality)	Virginia	#2 of 5
Best Value	Virginia	#5 of 5
Best Schools (Quality)	Southeast (Region)	#8 of 37
Best Value	Southeast (Region)	#35 of 37
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#42 of 162
Best Value	Nationwide	#144 of 161

Earnings for Geological & Earth Sciences Graduates from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University’s Geological & Earth Sciences program earn at the following median levels (per the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard):

Years After Graduation	Median Earnings
1 year	$25,556
2 years	$30,409
5 years	$68,645

Student Demographics & Diversity

Take a look at the composition of Geological & Earth Sciences graduates at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, by degree type.

Program-wide, Geological & Earth Sciences graduates at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University are 32% women (12) and 68% men (26).

Geological & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Among the 21 bachelor’s geological & earth sciences degrees awarded at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 14% were women (3) and 86% were men (18).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Geological & Earth Sciences bachelor’s degree recipients at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	14
Hispanic / Latino	4
Black / African American	1
Two or More Races	2

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 33% of Geological & Earth Sciences bachelor’s degree recipients at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, higher than the national average of 26%.*

Geological & Earth Sciences Master’s Program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Of the 7 master’s geological & earth sciences degrees awarded at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 57% were women (4) and 43% were men (3).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Geological & Earth Sciences master’s degree recipients at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	5
Asian	1
International (Nonresident)	1

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 14% of Geological & Earth Sciences master’s degree recipients at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, below the national average of 20%.*

Geological & Earth Sciences Doctoral Program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Among the 10 doctoral geological & earth sciences degrees awarded at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 50% were women (5) and 50% were men (5).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Geological & Earth Sciences doctoral degree recipients at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	5
Asian	2
International (Nonresident)	3

Minority students account for 20% of Geological & Earth Sciences doctoral degree recipients at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, above the national average of 18%.*

*The racial-ethnic minorities figure is the total number of graduates minus White, international (nonresident), and unknown-race graduates.

More Specific Geological & Earth Sciences Concentrations at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

This Geological & Earth Sciences program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University breaks down into more specific concentrations:

Concentration	Graduates
Geology & Earth Sciences	38

Highest-Paying Careers for Geological & Earth Sciences Graduates

Graduates of the Geological & Earth Sciences program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University work across a variety of fields. The table below ranks the top-paying careers for Geological & Earth Sciences majors, ordered by median annual salary:

Occupation	Nationwide Median Wage
Water Resource Specialists	$179,716
Natural Sciences Managers	$132,227
Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians	$119,992
Clinical Research Coordinators	$110,931
Hydrologists	$96,513
Hydrologic Technicians	$92,011
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary	$72,801
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary	$69,509
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers	$58,500

References

• IPEDS — Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
• U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard
• O*NET Online (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• National Center for Education Statistics

More about our data sources and methodologies.