37 Best colleges for Earth science / Geoscience / Geophysics in Pennsylvania

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Pennsylvania ranked based on their research performance in Earth science and Geophysics. A graph of 1.15M citations received by 30.2K academic papers made by 37 universities in Pennsylvania was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Pennsylvania State University

University Park

For Earth science and Geophysics

#11 in the United States

#11 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1330
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 67%

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

For Earth science and Geophysics

#68 in the United States

#80 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,570

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh

For Earth science and Geophysics

#80 in the United States

#95 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $35,552

4. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

For Earth science and Geophysics

#85 in the United States

#101 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1370
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 74%

5. Lehigh University

Bethlehem

For Earth science and Geophysics

#101 in the United States

#122 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Average SAT: 1435
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $34,154

6. Drexel University

Philadelphia

For Earth science and Geophysics

#114 in the United States

#136 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1340
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $42,801

7. Temple University

Philadelphia

For Earth science and Geophysics

#174 in the United States

#207 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $14,837
Enrollment: 29,640

8. Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster

For Earth science and Geophysics

#236 in the United States

#278 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Average SAT: 1387
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $43,987

9. Villanova University

Villanova

For Earth science and Geophysics

#237 in the United States

#279 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Average SAT: 1453
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $37,201

10. Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia

For Earth science and Geophysics

#266 in the United States

#310 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $29,325

11. Bucknell University

Lewisburg

For Earth science and Geophysics

#282 in the United States

#329 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $39,003

12. Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr

For Earth science and Geophysics

#287 in the United States

#334 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $33,221

13. Lafayette College

Easton

For Earth science and Geophysics

#315 in the United States

#363 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $38,442

14. Pennsylvania State University - College of Medicine

Hershey

For Earth science and Geophysics

#320 in the United States

#368 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1967

15. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana

For Earth science and Geophysics

#323 in the United States

#371 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 100%

16. Dickinson College

Carlisle

For Earth science and Geophysics

#342 in the United States

#391 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Average SAT: 1385
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $38,483

17. Moore College of Art and Design

Philadelphia

For Earth science and Geophysics

#346 in the United States

#395 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1280
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $43,626

18. California University of Pennsylvania

California

For Earth science and Geophysics

#363 in the United States

#412 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $6,250
Enrollment: 6,885

19. Duquesne University

Pittsburgh

For Earth science and Geophysics

#385 in the United States

#435 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $37,917

20. University of the Sciences

Philadelphia

For Earth science and Geophysics

#396 in the United States

#447 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Net Price: $29,948
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $14,493

21. Juniata College

Huntingdon

For Earth science and Geophysics

#417 in the United States

#468 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $24,580

22. West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester

For Earth science and Geophysics

#421 in the United States

#472 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 88%

23. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown

For Earth science and Geophysics

#436 in the United States

#488 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1215
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $7,420

24. Allegheny College

Meadville

For Earth science and Geophysics

#440 in the United States

#492 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1266
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $26,420

25. Haverford College

Haverford

For Earth science and Geophysics

#451 in the United States

#503 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1505
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,535

26. Susquehanna University

Selinsgrove

For Earth science and Geophysics

#466 in the United States

#518 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1200
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $26,444

27. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore

For Earth science and Geophysics

#471 in the United States

#524 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,469

28. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg

For Earth science and Geophysics

#486 in the United States

#539 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $6,347
Enrollment: 7,500

29. Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Mansfield

For Earth science and Geophysics

#489 in the United States

#542 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $8,863
Enrollment: 1,784

30. Widener University

Chester

For Earth science and Geophysics

#505 in the United States

#559 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1185
Net Price: $26,778
Receiving Aid: 100%

31. Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville

For Earth science and Geophysics

#545 in the United States

#599 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1115
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $6,143

32. Gettysburg College

Gettysburg

For Earth science and Geophysics

#556 in the United States

#611 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $32,769

33. King's College - Pennsylvania

Wilkes-Barre

For Earth science and Geophysics

#575 in the United States

#634 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1170
Net Price: $23,689
Receiving Aid: 100%

34. Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg

For Earth science and Geophysics

#591 in the United States

#651 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $6,756

35. Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre

For Earth science and Geophysics

#594 in the United States

#654 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1135
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $28,511

36. Gannon University

Erie

For Earth science and Geophysics

#604 in the United States

#665 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Net Price: $23,123
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $29,799

37. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock

For Earth science and Geophysics

#622 in the United States

#683 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 96%

Closest to Pennsylvania states to learn Earth science and Geophysics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Maryland	12	25
District of Columbia	6	162
New Jersey	14	27
New York	65	10
West Virginia	3	116
Connecticut	11	29
Virginia	15	37
Ohio	25	26
Massachusetts	28	2
Rhode Island	4	39
Vermont	3	137
New Hampshire	4	71
North Carolina	16	41
Indiana	14	24
Kentucky	7	82
Michigan	17	9
South Carolina	8	57
Maine	7	87
Tennessee	13	61
Illinois	24	18
Georgia	15	32
Wisconsin	16	16
Alabama	9	102
Iowa	3	49
Missouri	10	76
Mississippi	5	138
Minnesota	11	19
Arkansas	7	126
Florida	23	35
Louisiana	12	44
Kansas	7	50
South Dakota	4	203
Nebraska	6	74
Oklahoma	5	58
North Dakota	3	163
Texas	43	6
Colorado	13	7
New Mexico	4	65
Montana	3	97
Puerto Rico	4	227
Utah	7	17
Idaho	3	98
Arizona	4	13
Washington	11	4
Oregon	8	21
California	53	1
Alaska	4	31
Hawaii	4	55