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Earth & Atmospheric Sciences

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

This category focuses on the physical processes of our planet and its atmosphere. Coursework leans heavily into physics, chemistry, geology, and advanced math. You will study everything from plate tectonics and deep-ocean currents to severe weather patterns and planetary history. Field work is often central: mapping geological formations, analyzing ice cores, or deploying weather balloons.

What you'll do after college

Grads work for government agencies (USGS, NOAA, NASA), energy and mining companies, meteorological stations, and environmental consulting firms. Day-to-day work often involves fieldwork, operating specialized lab equipment, or running complex predictive computer models. Many pursue graduate degrees for advanced research or specialized industry roles.

Famous graduates

  • Harrison Schmitt — Apollo 17 astronaut and geologist; B.S. in Geology from Caltech
  • Kathryn Sullivan — First American woman to walk in space and former NOAA Administrator; B.S. in Earth Sciences from UC Santa Cruz
  • Stephen Jay Gould — Paleontologist and evolutionary biologist; B.A. in Geology from Antioch College

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$62,634
944
100–88%
$62,223
2,205
88–73%
$67,109
2,209
73–37%
$69,402
942
36–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$60,879
720
400–1120
$65,659
1,757
1120–1250
$66,525
1,716
1250–1410
$71,057
745
1410–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings by acceptance rate and institution category

$54,999p10 $72,891p90 STEM, Business & Military Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University 20–30% 10–20% 0–10% Maine Maritime Academy · $70,326 Florida Institute of Technology · $65,937 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · $76,338 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach · $81,724 SUNY Maritime College · $107,264 Cal Poly - Pomona · $72,853 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott · $82,226 Missouri University of Science and Technology · $62,094 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · $54,044 Michigan Technological University · $76,830 New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology · $64,180 Cal State Maritime Academy · $70,875 Lafayette College · $71,702 Franklin and Marshall College · $66,970 Bucknell University · $73,665 Oberlin College · $60,107 Mount Holyoke College · $62,632 Scripps College · $64,472 St. Lawrence University · $65,802 Whitman College · $54,978 Dickinson College · $66,300 Union College · $78,269 Occidental College · $61,758 Furman University · $65,116 DePauw University · $67,011 University of the South · $60,266 Albion College · $62,234 Cornell College · $62,661 Augustana College (IL) · $65,528 Hobart William Smith Colleges · $65,288 Calvin University · $61,538 Millsaps College · $60,516 Eckerd College · $54,355 Beloit College · $68,144 Juniata College · $63,692 St. Mary's College of Maryland · $65,956 Earlham College · $59,848 Gustavus Adolphus College · $67,927 Hanover College · $62,409 New College of Florida · $53,682 Lawrence University · $58,695 Susquehanna University · $63,621 Rocky Mountain College · $55,814 Muskingum University · $59,535 Hope College · $63,142 Pacific Lutheran University · $57,910 Hartwick College · $65,420 University of Georgia · $63,973 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $82,200 William & Mary · $73,735 Binghamton University · $50,506 San Diego State University · $66,751 University of California, Santa Barbara · $68,763 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire · $65,121 North Carolina State University · $68,869 University of South Florida · $56,505 University of Wisconsin - Madison · $61,208 University of Tennessee, Knoxville · $60,571 University of Washington · $68,558 Clemson University · $65,771 Purdue University · $60,771 University of Maryland, College Park · $74,098 Cal State Long Beach · $74,211 University of California, Davis · $61,961 State University of New York at New Paltz · $52,916 Auburn University · $65,657 Stony Brook University · $62,969 Ohio State University · $62,968 North Carolina A&T State University · $59,752 Texas A&M University - College Station · $83,451 CUNY Brooklyn College · $59,358 CUNY Queens College · $61,480 Cal State Fullerton · $57,254 Northern Illinois University · $70,449 West Chester University of Pennsylvania · $60,575 Tarleton State University · $50,971 University of Connecticut · $66,675 Virginia Tech · $65,020 Pennsylvania State University · $84,190 University of South Carolina · $60,995 New Mexico State University · $59,134 Georgia State University · $62,328 CUNY City College · $64,464 Central Connecticut State University · $61,290 University of Arkansas at Little Rock · $61,601 Florida Atlantic University · $54,646 University of Pittsburgh · $60,038 University of Massachusetts - Amherst · $71,524 University of New Mexico · $55,579 Florida International University · $59,801 State University of New York at Cortland · $58,071 Frostburg State University · $62,068 Jackson State University · $56,302 Minnesota State University, Mankato · $66,184 University of North Carolina Wilmington · $56,361 Fresno State · $60,604 University of Hawaii at Hilo · $53,072 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities · $57,338 University of Texas Permian Basin · $56,828 University of Alaska - Fairbanks · $58,319 Western Carolina University · $59,940 Ball State University · $59,380 Eastern Michigan University · $58,748 Kean University · $54,526 Rutgers University - New Brunswick · $57,950 University at Albany · $62,101 Minnesota State University Moorhead · $64,814 James Madison University · $54,431 Texas Tech University · $78,557 University of Michigan - Dearborn · $62,327 University of Texas at Dallas · $71,143 Georgia Southern University · $65,230 SUNY Oneonta · $63,754 University of Louisiana at Monroe · $62,335 Eastern Illinois University · $61,810 University of Colorado Boulder · $69,575 Louisiana State University · $75,286 University of Alabama · $39,989 University of Delaware · $68,560 College of Charleston · $54,016 University of Tennessee, Chattanooga · $63,018 Wright State University · $59,614 Western Illinois University · $60,548 Wichita State University · $66,517 University of California, Santa Cruz · $68,350 University of Pittsburgh - Bradford · $59,346 University of Vermont · $57,782 Oklahoma State University · $70,559 University of Arkansas · $67,860 Miami University - Ohio · $67,006 SUNY College at Geneseo · $59,075 University of Alabama in Huntsville · $76,400 University of Rhode Island · $67,544 Cal State East Bay · $67,772 University of Idaho · $50,481 University of Tennessee, Martin · $48,706 University of Wisconsin - Parkside · $60,027 University of Houston · $76,510 University of Illinois Chicago · $53,185 Indiana University · $60,553 SUNY Brockport · $54,639 University of Minnesota - Morris · $60,508 Valdosta State University · $57,766 Rowan University · $61,705 Rutgers University - Newark · $63,822 University of Missouri · $68,499 Winona State University · $68,220 University of Oklahoma - Norman · $81,250 University of North Carolina at Charlotte · $59,454 East Tennessee State University · $69,280 Eastern Kentucky University · $61,768 Middle Tennessee State University · $56,707 University of Louisiana at Lafayette · $74,694 University of New Hampshire · $57,564 Youngstown State University · $62,403 Oregon State University · $62,676 Columbus State University · $52,601 Tennessee Technological University · $63,979 Angelo State University · $58,528 University of Iowa · $66,763 University of West Georgia · $57,587 Cal State Bakersfield · $79,602 Metropolitan State University of Denver · $58,379 Portland State University · $61,940 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania · $55,911 State University of New York at Oswego · $61,424 University of Nebraska, Lincoln · $70,728 University of Mary Washington · $65,728 San Jose State University · $69,979 University at Buffalo · $62,049 University of Texas at Arlington · $76,504 SUNY College at Potsdam · $51,697 University of New Orleans · $49,355 Indiana University - Northwest · $59,615 California State University, Monterey Bay · $44,169 Eastern Washington University · $64,723 Indiana University of Pennsylvania · $68,213 Kent State University at Kent · $63,519 Kutztown University of Pennsylvania · $65,282 Sonoma State University · $58,631 University of North Carolina Asheville · $60,260 University of North Dakota · $71,067 University of Utah · $64,134 Savannah State University · $55,430 Southern Connecticut State University · $61,441 Western Michigan University · $65,597 University of Nevada, Reno · $58,082 Michigan State University · $60,367 Stephen F. Austin State University · $59,585 Lamar University · $58,205 University of Arizona · $63,259 Mississippi State University · $74,200 Wayne State University · $65,132 Boise State University · $61,191 Indiana University - Indianapolis · $63,876 University of Nevada, Las Vegas · $61,430 University of South Carolina - Aiken · $60,482 Morehead State University · $61,949 SUNY Buffalo State University · $45,604 Murray State University · $55,692 Cal State Dominguez Hills · $61,444 Cal State San Bernardino · $57,374 Cal State Stanislaus · $58,582 Central Washington University · $51,083 Colorado Mesa University · $56,636 Emporia State University · $62,768 Fort Hays State University · $69,956 Fort Lewis College · $59,374 Northern Kentucky University · $60,706 Saint Cloud State University · $71,452 Southern Utah University · $63,322 Stockton University · $43,397 University of Akron · $65,393 University of Maine · $56,468 University of Massachusetts - Lowell · $64,343 West Virginia University · $72,053 Western Connecticut State University · $61,188 Western Oregon University · $54,999 Ohio University · $69,893 Northern Michigan University · $52,565 Eastern Connecticut State University · $59,890 Northwest Missouri State University · $59,796 Illinois State University · $73,833 Bridgewater State University · $50,409 University of Wisconsin - River Falls · $64,252 University of California, Riverside · $48,735 Washington State University · $56,292 Temple University · $61,448 University of Washington - Bothell · $68,684 George Mason University · $55,198 University of Nebraska at Omaha · $64,724 University of Oregon · $39,355 Salisbury University · $69,218 Iowa State University · $66,597 University of Houston - Downtown · $74,843 Cal State Northridge · $61,007 Towson University · $64,420 University of Cincinnati · $68,910 University of Hawaii at Manoa · $56,731 Minot State University · $63,985 Westfield State University · $62,404 Arizona State University · $63,990 University of Alaska - Anchorage · $62,369 Colorado State University - Fort Collins · $69,569 Fitchburg State University · $61,240 University of Northern Colorado · $59,094 Florida Gulf Coast University · $62,577 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee · $70,046 University of Minnesota - Duluth · $64,766 Montclair State University · $52,263 Radford University · $63,870 Northern Arizona University · $55,177 University of Montana · $55,772 University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh · $63,668 Cal State Los Angeles · $61,166 Texas A&M University - Kingsville · $59,528 Central Michigan University · $60,923 SUNY at Fredonia · $58,701 University of Texas at San Antonio · $61,423 University of Wisconsin - Green Bay · $59,949 Chico State · $61,833 Old Dominion University · $60,432 Western Kentucky University · $61,001 Indiana State University · $61,475 Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi · $64,486 North Dakota State University · $69,843 Plymouth State University · $57,023 Utah State University · $69,638 East Carolina University · $62,035 Millersville University of Pennsylvania · $57,942 University of Southern Mississippi · $79,037 Missouri State University - Springfield · $53,790 University of Kansas · $69,600 Grand Valley State University · $59,711 Cal Poly - Humboldt · $49,343 San Francisco State University · $69,236 Texas A&M University - San Antonio · $57,871 University of Northern Iowa · $51,719 University of Memphis · $53,329 University of Kentucky · $66,567 Cal State Sacramento · $77,496 Sam Houston State University · $61,390 Western Washington University · $60,434 Appalachian State University · $67,689 University of Maine at Farmington · $51,483 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $63,918 University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown · $61,935 University of South Alabama · $60,667 Adams State University · $55,883 College of Staten Island CUNY · $62,957 Kansas State University · $66,490 Lewis-Clark State College · $54,599 Midwestern State University · $63,343 Sul Ross State University · $50,663 University of Wyoming · $72,484 Western Colorado University · $66,120 Salem State University · $59,295 University of California, Merced · $70,502 University of Southern Indiana · $61,104 Austin Peay State University · $51,318 Marshall University · $60,920 Concord University · $59,577 Idaho State University · $71,969 University of Mississippi · $68,662 Montana State University · $61,027 University of Texas at El Paso · $53,373 Lake Superior State University · $56,390 New Mexico Highlands University · $61,435 Shawnee State University · $60,647 Utah Valley University · $64,648 Weber State University · $70,674 Southern Methodist University · $66,557 Texas Christian University · $83,026 Baylor University · $63,959 California Lutheran University · $60,466 College of Wooster · $63,047 University of Dayton · $67,383 Cedarville University · $62,456 Brigham Young University · $67,000 Ashland University · $62,995 Saint Louis University · $71,745 University of Tulsa · $65,617 University of Indianapolis · $71,323 Mercyhurst University · $66,381 Saint Norbert College · $64,192 Valparaiso University · $67,049 University of the Incarnate Word · $60,446 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $90,493 Case Western Reserve University · $65,797 University of Rochester · $68,258 George Washington University · $64,179 Syracuse University · $69,461 Marist University · $72,891 Hofstra University · $60,721 Westminster University · $61,441 Drexel University · $67,629 Rider University · $63,102 Hawaii Pacific University · $53,337 Norwich University · $68,148 Utica University · $61,889 Wilkes University · $64,805 Lehigh University · $80,522 University of Florida · $69,166 Florida State University · $55,366 University of Texas at Austin · $97,738 University of California, San Diego · $70,075 University of California, Irvine · $65,007 Vassar College · $59,452 Carleton College · $57,368 Colorado College · $62,246 Smith College · $60,637 Skidmore College · $62,728 Trinity University · $66,243 Pitzer College · $65,791 Bryn Mawr College · $56,596 Macalester College · $58,643 Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo · $54,284 Tufts University · $68,008 University of Southern California · $69,129 Washington University in St Louis · $70,545 Tulane University · $71,310 University of Miami · $71,166 University of California, Berkeley · $77,516 Georgia Tech · $78,453 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor · $67,655 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · $75,052 Boston College · $88,303 Middlebury College · $70,117 Haverford College · $66,431 Washington & Lee University · $67,243 Hamilton College · $67,704 Bates College · $59,431 Wellesley College · $66,127 Colgate University · $73,226 Denison University · $71,168 United States Air Force Academy · $67,498 Yale University · $69,614 Caltech · $73,867 Stanford University · $75,672 Harvard University · $70,108 Princeton University · $63,747 University of Chicago · $71,897 MIT · $76,557 Columbia University · $55,971 University of Pennsylvania · $72,735 Duke University · $71,232 Vanderbilt University · $69,845 Dartmouth · $70,900 Johns Hopkins University · $72,773 Brown University · $68,940 Northwestern University · $72,919 Rice University · $66,319 Cornell University · $69,312 UCLA · $68,848 Bowdoin College · $70,256 Pomona College · $68,390 Amherst College · $73,135 Colby College · $67,821 Williams College · $69,192 United States Naval Academy · $70,356 STEM, Business & Military: mean $73,724 Liberal Arts: mean $63,342 Public University: mean $62,192 Religious University: mean $67,890 Private University: mean $64,743 20–30%: mean $65,116 10–20%: mean $70,846 0–10%: mean $70,017 All colleges: p10 $54,999 All colleges: p90 $72,891
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Earth & Atmospheric Sciences 430 6,300 48% / 52% 3% $64,388 96%
Geosciences 260 2,624 47% / 53% 2% $63,471 96%
Geology 53 492 53% / 47% 3% $63,703 96%
Marine Sciences 16 423 39% / 61% 1% $61,151 97%
Meteorology 25 315 60% / 40% 0% $64,982 99%
Earth Sciences 19 290 47% / 53% 4% $65,983 95%
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology 31 260 59% / 41% 1% $64,455 99%
Marine Science 4 202 57% / 43% 2% $58,414 100%
Oceanography 15 190 38% / 62% 3% $68,456 94%
Natural and Applied Sciences 1 147 31% / 69% 3% $60,684
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences 20 143 38% / 62% 3% $65,453 96%
Earth and Environmental Sciences 8 117 42% / 58% 6% $65,281 97%
Earth Science 11 92 46% / 54% 1% $64,546 97%
Atmospheric Sciences 9 85 62% / 38% 4% $67,704 82%
Earth System Science 4 84 42% / 58% 1% $68,639 94%
Geological and Earth Sciences 10 83 46% / 54% 2% $70,896 94%
Geological Sciences 4 71 49% / 51% 4% $72,055 98%
Geology and Geophysics 3 63 54% / 46% 2% $64,273 96%
Earth and Space Exploration 1 55 60% / 40% 5% $64,162 94%
Hydrology and Water Resources Science 13 44 48% / 52% 2% $65,216 98%
Geophysics 9 41 63% / 37% 12% $72,768 93%
Earth and Planetary Sciences 6 41 54% / 46% 2% $67,459 80%
Atmospheric Science 5 41 61% / 39% 5% $68,634 95%
Earth Systems Science 2 36 42% / 58% 3% $70,310 100%
Earth Systems 1 36 31% / 69% 6% $73,954
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences 4 31 48% / 52% 6% $66,362 100%
Earth and Environmental Sciences (Geological) 1 30 33% / 67% 3% $59,358 97%
Earth and Environmental Studies 3 28 39% / 61% 4% $63,677
Geological/Earth Sciences 20 24 62% / 38% 0% $61,851 98%
Geology/Earth Science 4 23 43% / 57% 4% $55,632 97%
Atmosphere and Energy 1 18 50% / 50% 6% $79,683
Geophysics and Seismology 12 17 65% / 35% 12% $71,126 96%
Earth and Environmental Science 1 13 38% / 62% 31% $72,735
Planetary Science 6 11 55% / 45% 0% $67,293 86%
Climate System Science and Engineering (Course 1-12) 3 10 10% / 90% 30% $71,600
Atmospheric and Oceanic Science 1 10 70% / 30% 0% $73,852
Earth & Climate Sciences 1 10 70% / 30% 30% $69,285
Engineering Geology 1 10 40% / 60% 0% $68,466 90%
Climate Science 3 9 56% / 44% 11% $65,672
Earth and Atmospheric Sciences 1 9 56% / 44% 11% $78,473
Renewable Energy 1 9 67% / 33% 0% $81,111 96%
Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences 1 8 38% / 62% 25% $74,306
Earth and Planetary Science 1 8 38% / 62% 0% $77,398 90%
Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (Course 12) 1 8 12% / 88% 0% $76,198
Earth and Space Sciences 1 7 86% / 14% 0% $68,684 91%
Geophysical Sciences 1 7 29% / 71% 29% $71,897
Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences 1 6 33% / 67% 0% $68,940
Geochemistry 6 5 60% / 40% 20% $63,254 97%
Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences 1 4 50% / 50% 25% $66,319
Geology/Earth Systems Science 1 4 75% / 25% 0% $83,026 94%
Geography and Cartography 1 2 100% / 0% 0% $71,192 83%
Geological and Planetary Sciences 1 2 100% / 0% 0% $73,536
Meteorology and Climate Science 1 2 100% / 0% 0% $68,966
Atmospheric Chemistry and Climatology 1 0 $68,549
Chemistry & Climate 1 0 $72,792
Geological and Environmental Sciences 1 0 $70,261
Marine Science (CCS) 1 0 $74,229