35 Best Colleges for Meteorology – 2024

April 28, 2024

best colleges for meteorology

When you tell your friends that you want to study meteorology and atmospheric science in college, they’ll instantly envision you on the local news, donning a wacky bowtie, predicting the next snowstorm about as well as a coin flip. Believe it or not, the majority of meteorology grads are actually employed by the government within agencies like the National Weather Service, NASA, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Agriculture. Many other graduates go on to work in private industry or further their education in order to teach at the university level. If courses like Synoptic Meteorology and Atmospheric Thermodynamics sound invigorating rather than sleep-inducing, then meteorology may be the major for you, and the schools on our best meteorology programs list are the best places in the country in which to complete your studies.

Methodology 

Click here to read our methodology for the Best Colleges for Meteorology.

Best Colleges for Meteorology

Here’s a quick preview of the first ten meteorology institutions that made our list. Detailed profiles and stats can be found when you scroll below:

1) Cornell University

2) Pennsylvania State University

3) University of California-San Diego

4) University of Colorado Boulder

5) University of California-Los Angeles

6) University of California-Berkeley

7) Virginia Tech

8) United States Air Force Academy

9) University of Michigan

10) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

All of the schools profiled below have stellar reputations in the area of meteorology and commit substantial resources to undergraduate education. For each of the best meteorology colleges, College Transitions will provide you with—when available—the university’s:

  • Enrollment
  • Cost of Attendance
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Median SAT
  • Median ACT
  • Retention Rate
  • Graduation Rate

We will also include a longer write-up of each college’s:

  • Academic Highlights – Includes facts like student-to-faculty ratio, average class size, number of majors offered, and most popular majors.
  • Professional Outcomes – Includes info on the rate of positive outcomes, companies employing alumni, and graduate school acceptances.
#1 Best College for Meteorology
Cornell University

Cornell University

  • Ithaca, NY

Academic Highlights: A diverse array of academic programs includes 80 majors and 120 minors spread across the university’s seven schools/colleges. Classes are a bit larger at Cornell than at many other elite institutions. Still, 55% of sections have fewer than 20 students. Most degrees conferred in 2022 were in computer science (17%), engineering (13%), business (13%), and biology (13%). The SC Johnson College of Business houses two undergraduate schools, both of which have phenomenal reputations.

Professional Outcomes: Breaking down the graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, the largest school at Cornell, 68% entered the workforce, 28% entered graduate school, 1% pursued other endeavors such as travel or volunteer work, and the remaining 3% were still seeking employment six months after receiving their diplomas. The top sectors attracting campus-wide graduateswere financial services (18%), technology (17%), consulting (15%), and education (10%). Of the students from A&S going on to graduate school, 15% were pursuing JDs, 5% MDs, and 22% PhDs.

  • Enrollment: 15,735
  • Cost of Attendance: $88,150
  • Median SAT: 1520
  • Median ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 7%
  • Retention Rate: 97%
  • Graduation Rate: 95%

#2 Best College for Meteorology
Pennsylvania State University — University Park

Pennsylvania State University — University Park

  • State College, PA

Academic Highlights: Penn State offers 275 majors and a number of top-ranked programs in a host of disciplines. The College of Engineering is rated exceptionally well on a national scale and is also the most popular field of study, accounting for 15% of the degrees conferred. The Smeal College of Business is equally well-regarded, earning high rankings in everything from supply chain management to accounting to marketing. It attracts 15% of total degree-seekers. 61% of classes have an enrollment below thirty students.

Professional Outcomes: By graduation, 70% of Nittany Lions have found their next employment or graduate school home. 98% of College of Business grads are successful within three months of exiting, flocking in large numbers to stellar finance, accounting, consulting, and technology firms. Hundreds of alumni work at Citi, Salesforce, and Meta, and more than 500 currently work at each of IBM, Deloitte, PwC, Amazon, EY, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, Google, and Oracle. 75% of 2022 grads employed full-time earned starting salaries greater than $50k.

  • Enrollment: 41,745 (undergraduate); 7,020 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $32,656 (in-state); $52,610 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1300
  • Median ACT: 29
  • Acceptance Rate: 55%
  • Retention Rate: 91%
  • Graduation Rate: 85%

#3 Best College for Meteorology
University of California, San Diego

University of California, San Diego

  • San Diego, CA

Academic Highlights: There are 140+ undergraduate majors offered at UCSD, and all students join one of eight undergraduate colleges meant to forge flourishing communities within the larger university. Biology has the highest representation of all majors (19%) followed by engineering (12%), the social sciences (11%), and computer science (9%). UCSD’s computer science and engineering programs have stellar reputations in the corporate and tech communities, and programs in biology, economics, and political science are among the best anywhere.

Professional Outcomes: Employers of recent graduates included the Walt Disney Company, Tesla, NBC Universal, PwC, Northrop Grumman, and EY. More than 1,000 current Google employees are UC San Diego alumni, and Qualcomm, Amazon, and Apple all employ 500+ each. The median early career salary is $65,000 across all majors, placing the university in the top 10 public universities in the country. UCSD also fares well in measures of its return-on-investment potential.

  • Enrollment: 33,096 (undergraduate); 8,386 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $31,830 (in-state); $64,404 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: Test Blind
  • Median ACT: Test Blind
  • Acceptance Rate: 25%
  • Retention Rate: 93%
  • Graduation Rate: 88%

#4 Best College for Meteorology
University of Colorado Boulder

University of Colorado Boulder

  • Boulder, CO

Academic Highlights: CU Boulder offers 90 bachelor’s degree programs across seven different schools and colleges; the College of Engineering & Applied Science and the Leeds School of Business both possess excellent national reputations. Business/marketing is the discipline where the greatest number of degrees (15%) were conferred in 2022. Engineering (13%), biology (12%), social sciences (12%), and journalism (10%) are next in popularity. 41% of classes have fewer than 20 students, and only 19% of courses enroll 50 or more students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of leaving CU Boulder, 91% of recent grads were working or in graduate school. Those employed earned an estimated median salary of $54k, with the greatest number working at Lockheed Martin, Ball Aerospace, Deloitte, Qualcomm, Northrop Grumman, KPMG, Charles Schwab, and Boeing. More than 100 alumni can also be found at Google, Oracle, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft. 20% of new grads immediately jumped into an advanced degree program, and 80% were accepted into their first-choice school.

  • Enrollment: 31,103 (undergraduate); 7,110 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $31,744 (in-state); $60,118 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1280
  • Median ACT: 29
  • Acceptance Rate: 79%
  • Retention Rate: 88%
  • Graduation Rate: 75%

#5 Best College for Meteorology
University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, Los Angeles

  • Los Angeles, CA

Academic Highlights: UCLA offers 125 majors in 100+ academic departments, and more than 60 majors require a capstone experience that results in the creation of a tangible product under the mentorship of faculty members. The most commonly conferred degrees are in the social sciences (25%), biology (16%), psychology (11%), mathematics (8%), and engineering (7%). Departmental rankings are high across the board, especially in computer science, engineering, film, fine and performing arts, mathematics, and political science.

Professional Outcomes: UCLA grads flow most heavily into the research, finance, computer science, and engineering sectors. High numbers of recent grads can be found at Disney, Google, EY, Teach for America, Amazon, and Oracle. Hundreds also can be found at Bloomberg, Deloitte, Mattel, Oracle, and SpaceX. The average starting salary exceeds $55,000. 16% of recent grads enrolled directly in a graduate/professional school, with other CA-based institutions like Stanford, Pepperdine, USC, Berkeley, and Loyola Marymount being the most popular.

  • Enrollment: 33,040 (undergraduate); 15,010 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $38,517 (in-state); $71,091 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: Test Blind
  • Median ACT: Test Blind
  • Acceptance Rate: 9%
  • Retention Rate: 97%
  • Graduation Rate: 93%

#6 Best College for Meteorology
University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Berkeley

  • Berkeley, CA

Academic Highlights: More than 150 undergraduate majors and minors are available across six schools: the College of Letters and Science, the College of Chemistry, the College of Engineering, the College of Environmental Design, the College of Natural Resources, and the Haas School of Business. Many departments have top international reputations including computer science, engineering, chemistry, English, psychology, and economics. 22% of sections contain nine or fewer students, and over 55% of students assist faculty with a research project or complete a research methods course.

Professional Outcomes: Upon graduating, 49% of Cal’s Class of 2022 had already secured employment, and 20% were headed to graduate school. Business is the most popular sector, attracting 62% of employed grads; next up are industrial (17%), education (8%), and nonprofit work (7%). The median starting salary was $86,459 across all majors. Thousands of alumni can be found in the offices of Google, Apple, and Meta, and 500+ Golden Bears are currently employed by Oracle, Amazon, and Microsoft. The school is the number one all-time producer of Peace Corps volunteers.

  • Enrollment: 32,831 (undergraduate); 12,914 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $48,574 (in-state); $82,774 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: Test Blind
  • Median ACT: Test Blind
  • Acceptance Rate: 11%
  • Retention Rate: 96%
  • Graduation Rate: 94%

#7 Best College for Meteorology
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

  • Blacksburg, VA

Academic Highlights: Eight undergraduate colleges that offer 110+ distinct bachelor’s degrees are housed within Virginia Tech. 33% of sections contain fewer than 20 students, and 21% of recent graduates report participating in some type of undergraduate research experience. Engineering is the area where the greatest number of degrees are conferred (23%), but business (20%) is a close second. Both disciplines are among the most respected at Tech, along with computer science. Other popular majors include the family and consumer sciences (8%), social sciences (8%), biology (8%), and agriculture (4%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 56% of the Class of 2022 were employed and 18% were in graduate school. One recent class sent large numbers to major corporations that included Deloitte (67), KPMG (44), Lockheed Martin (39), Capital One (30), EY (28), Booz Allen Hamilton (18), and Northrop Grumman (12). The median salary for 2022 graduates was $67,000. Among recent grads who decided to pursue an advanced degree, the greatest number stayed at VT, while others enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason University, William & Mary, Columbia, Duke, and Georgia Tech.

  • Enrollment: 30,434 (undergraduate); 7,736 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $37,252 (in-state); $58,750 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1330
  • Median ACT: 29
  • Acceptance Rate: 57%
  • Retention Rate: 91%
  • Graduation Rate: 87%

#8 Best College for Meteorology
United States Air Force Academy

United States Air Force Academy

  • USAF Academy, CO

Academic Highlights: There are 32 majors, including seven with “engineering” in the title. That works out well as the Air Force Academy runs one of the premier undergraduate engineering programs in the entire country. One-third of degrees conferred in 2022 were in engineering followed by business (14%), the social sciences (13%), interdisciplinary studies (11%), and biology (6%). 66% of sections contain fewer than 20 students, and there are plenty of opportunities to participate in research at one of the 27 research centers and institutes.

Professional Outcomes: As with any service academy, the bulk of graduates spend a good portion of their careers within the armed forces. For USAFA grads, a minimum five-year commitment to the Air Force is mandatory. Many alumni spend time later in their careers working in the commercial airline industry at Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines. Many also work for Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Lockheed Martin. Roughly 10% of new grads are cleared to immediately enter a graduate program in exchange for additional years of service.

  • Enrollment: 4,085
  • Cost of Attendance: $0
  • Median SAT: 1400
  • Median ACT: 31
  • Acceptance Rate: 13%
  • Retention Rate: 94%
  • Graduation Rate: 89%

#9 Best College for Meteorology
University of Michigan

University of Michigan

  • Ann Arbor, MI

Academic Highlights: There are 280+ undergraduate degree programs across fourteen schools and colleges, and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) enrolls the majority of students. The Ross School of Business offers highly rated programs in entrepreneurship, management, accounting, and finance. The College of Engineering is also one of the best in the country. By degrees conferred, engineering (15%), computer science (14%), and the social sciences (11%) are most popular. A solid 56% of classes have fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within three months of graduating, 89% of LSA grads are employed full-time or in graduate school, with healthcare, education, law, banking, research, nonprofit work, and consulting being the most popular sectors. Within three months, 99% of Ross grads are employed with a median salary of $90k. Top employers include Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, EY, Morgan Stanley, PwC, Deloitte, and Amazon.  Within six months, 96% of engineering grads are employed (average salary of $84k) or in grad school. General Motors, Ford, Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Meta employ the greatest number of alumni.

  • Enrollment: 32,695 (undergraduate); 18,530 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $35,450 (in-state); $76,294 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1470
  • Median ACT: 33
  • Acceptance Rate: 18%
  • Retention Rate: 97%
  • Graduation Rate: 93%

#10 Best College for Meteorology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • Champaign-Urbana, IL

Academic Highlights: Eight of UIUC’s fifteen schools cater to undergraduate students. There are 150 academic programs offered, including those at the acclaimed Grainger College of Engineering and Gies College of Business. In sheer volume of degrees conferred, engineering and business/marketing are tied at 19%, followed by the social sciences (9%) and psychology (6%). 39% of sections are capped at 19 students. 29% of undergraduates work with a faculty member on a research project; another 22% have some type of fieldwork, practicum, or clinical experience.

Professional Outcomes: 95% of the members of the Class of 2022 landed at their next destination within six months of graduation, with 38% matriculating directly into an advanced degree program. 57% were employed full-time; the most popular sectors were finance, consulting, healthcare, electronics, and education. Corporations landing the most recent Illini grads were KPMG, Deloitte, Epic Systems, EY, PwC, and Amazon. The average salary across all Class of 2022 majors was an extremely solid $75,000.

  • Enrollment: 35,120 (undergraduate); 21,796 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $35,926-$41,190 (in-state); $55,386-$63,290 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1440
  • Median ACT: 32
  • Acceptance Rate: 79%
  • Retention Rate: 93%
  • Graduation Rate: 85%

#11 Best College for Meteorology
University of Washington – Seattle

University of Washington – Seattle

  • Seattle, WA

Academic Highlights: 180+ undergraduate majors are offered across thirteen colleges/schools. Personal connections with professors abound as 55% of grads complete a faculty-mentored research project. The College of Engineering, which includes the College of Computer Science & Engineering, is one of the best in the nation; UW also boasts strong programs in everything from business to social work to environmental science. The most popular degrees are the social sciences (13%), biology (12%), computer science (11%), and business (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Within months of graduation, 73% of Class of 2022 grads were employed and 17% were continuing their education. The most popular employers of the Class of 2022 included Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, and KPMG. Across all living alumni, 6,000+ work for Microsoft, and 4000+ work for each of Boeing and Amazon. Of those headed to graduate/professional school, just over half remain in state, mostly at UW itself. Large numbers of 2022 grads also headed to Columbia, Johns Hopkins, and USC.

  • Enrollment: 36,872 (undergraduate); 16,211 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $34,554 (in-state); $63,906 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1420
  • Median ACT: 32
  • Acceptance Rate: 48%
  • Retention Rate: 94%
  • Graduation Rate: 84%

#12 Best College for Meteorology
Texas A&M University — College Station

Texas A&M University — College Station

  • College Station, TX

Academic Highlights: With nineteen schools and colleges and 130+ undergraduate degree programs, Texas A&M is a massive operation. As the name implies, there is a heavy emphasis on agriculture, engineering, and business, which all place well in national rankings and garner deep respect from major corporations and graduate/professional schools. Class sizes trend large, but 24% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students and personal connections with professors are entirely possible, particularly through the research-oriented LAUNCH program.

Professional Outcomes: On graduation day, 54% of students had already received at least one job offer and 22% were heading to graduate/professional school. Many Aggies go on to work at major oil, tech, and consulting firms; more than 500 are employed at each of ExxonMobil, Halliburton, Chevron, EY, Amazon, Microsoft, Intel, Accenture, and PWC. Starting salaries were strong—on average, College of Engineering grads made $80k and College of Agriculture & Life Sciences grads netted $54k. A&M is also the eighth-largest producer of law students in the entire country.

  • Enrollment: 57,512 (undergraduate); 16,502 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $31,058 (in-state); $59,336 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1270
  • Median ACT: 28
  • Acceptance Rate: 63%
  • Retention Rate: 95%
  • Graduation Rate: 84%

#13 Best College for Meteorology
Florida State University

Florida State University

  • Tallahassee, FL

Academic Highlights: A wide range of baccalaureate degrees—103 to be precise—are available at FSU. The student-to-faculty is a 17:1, which translates into somewhat larger class sizes. Ten percent of sections contain more than fifty students, and 4% have more than 100. However, that is balanced by the 66% of sections that contain fewer than twenty students. Twenty-three percent of degrees conferred fall under the business umbrella. The social sciences (15%), psychology (8%), biology (8%), and homeland security (6%) are next in popularity.

Professional Outcomes: Eighty-three percent of job-seeking Seminole grads receive at least one offer of employment within three months of graduation. The top five sectors employing 2022 grads are (in order) finance, technology, marketing, health, and engineering. Roughly one-third of 2022 Florida State grads elected to immediately pursue admission into an advanced degree program; 75% of those who apply receive at least one acceptance. A typical graduating class sees over 100 students accepted into medical schools and over 200 accepted into law schools.

  • Enrollment: 32,936
  • Cost of Attendance: $25,762 (In-State); $39,692 (Out-of-State)
  • Median SAT: 1300
  • Median ACT: 29
  • Acceptance Rate: 25%
  • Retention Rate: 94%
  • Graduation Rate: 85%

#14 Best College for Meteorology
University of Wisconsin – Madison

University of Wisconsin – Madison

  • Madison, WI

Academic Highlights: There are 230+ undergraduate majors offered across eight schools and colleges, including the top-ranked School of Business and College of Engineering as well as the College of Letters and Science, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and the Schools of Nursing, Education, Pharmacy, and Human Ecology. Undergrads can expect a mix of large and small classes, with 44% of sections enrolling fewer than 20 students. Business (18%), biology (12%), the social sciences (11%), and engineering (10%) are most popular.

Professional Outcomes: In a recent year, 46% of job-seeking grads graduated with an offer.  Top employers included UW-Madison, Epic, Kohl’s, Oracle, Deloitte, and UW Health. Across all graduating years, companies employing 250+ alumni include Google, Target, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, PwC, Accenture, and Meta. 28% of recent grads enrolled directly in graduate/professional school; the majority stayed at UW–Madison while others headed to Columbia, Northwestern, and Carnegie Mellon. The university is the top producer of Peace Corps volunteers.

  • Enrollment: 37,230 (undergraduate); 12,656 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $28,916 (in-state); $58,912 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1440
  • Median ACT: 30
  • Acceptance Rate: 49%
  • Retention Rate: 94%
  • Graduation Rate: 89%

#15 Best College for Meteorology
University of Maryland, College Park

University of Maryland, College Park

  • College Park, MD

Academic Highlights: Undergraduates can select from 100+ majors across twelve colleges. 18% of degrees are conferred in computer science, followed by the social sciences (13%), with  criminology, government and politics, and economics being the most popular majors.  Engineering (13%), business (11%), and biology (8%) are next in line. The School of Business, the School of Engineering, and the College of Journalism are all top-ranked, as are programs in computer science and criminology. 46% of sections enroll fewer than twenty students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 96% of Class of 2022 grads had positive outcomes. 67% found employment; the companies/organizations that hired the greatest number of grads included Northrop Grumman, Deloitte, Amazon, and EY. Meta, Apple, and Google employ more than 200 alumni each.  The mid-50% salary range for 2022 grads was $55k-$83k. 21% of the Class of 2022 headed directly to graduate and professional school; 11% entered doctoral programs, 5% entered medical school, and 5% entered law school.

  • Enrollment: 30,353 (undergraduate); 10,439 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $31,540 (in-state); $60,918 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1440
  • Median ACT: 33
  • Acceptance Rate: 84%
  • Retention Rate: 95%
  • Graduation Rate: 89%

#16 Best College for Meteorology
University of California, Davis

University of California, Davis

  • Davis, CA

Academic Highlights: UC Davis offers 100+ undergraduate majors across four schools: the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the College of Biological Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the College of Letters and Science. 50% engage in some type of research/creative project outside the classroom. The areas of study with the largest number of degrees awarded were biology, the social sciences, psychology, and engineering. Programs in engineering, computer science, and animal science are nationally renowned.

Professional Outcomes: Many recent grads found homes at Silicon Valley or other California-based employers. Corporations employing 200 or more Aggies include Genentech, Google, Apple, Cisco, Meta, Oracle, Amazon, Microsoft, Salesforce, and LinkedIn. Ten years out of school, median earnings rise to $112k. Within one year of graduating, 39% of Aggies elect to continue their education; the most popular degrees pursued are master’s, MDs or other health doctorates, law, and MBA/MPA.

 

 

  • Enrollment: 31,797 (undergraduate); 9,053 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $41,389 (in-state); $73,963 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: Test Blind
  • Median ACT: Test Blind
  • Acceptance Rate: 42%
  • Retention Rate: 93%
  • Graduation Rate: 87%

#17 Best College for Meteorology
The Ohio State University — Columbus

The Ohio State University — Columbus

  • Columbus, OH

Academic Highlights: There are 200+ undergraduate majors and 18 schools and colleges housed within OSU. Business sees the greatest percentage of degrees conferred at 18% followed by engineering (15%), health professions (10%), and the social sciences (9%). It makes sense that so many flock to the business and engineering schools as they are among the highest-rated undergraduate programs in their respective disciplines. 40% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and approximately 20% of students gain research experience.

Professional Outcomes: Upon receiving their diplomas, 56% of Class of 2022 graduates were entering the world of employment while 17% were already accepted into graduate or professional school.  Hordes of Buckeyes can be found at many of the nation’s leading companies. More than 2,000 alumni work for JPMorgan Chase, more than 1,000 are employed by Amazon, and more than 600 work for Google and Microsoft. Of the grads who directly matriculate into graduate or professional school, many continue in one of OSU’s own programs.

  • Enrollment: 45,728 (undergraduate); 14,318 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $27,241 (in-state); $52,747 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1340-1450
  • Median ACT: 29-32
  • Acceptance Rate: 53%
  • Retention Rate: 94%
  • Graduation Rate: 88%

#18 Best College for Meteorology
University of Georgia

University of Georgia

  • Athens, GA

Academic Highlights: UGA boasts seventeen distinct colleges and schools that offer 125+ majors. Business is the most commonly conferred undergrad degree, accounting for 29% of diplomas earned. It is followed by biology (10%), social sciences (8%), communication & journalism (8%), and psychology (7%). Top-ranked programs include animal science, business, communications, and public and international affairs. 49% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and no matter your major, UGA encourages you to conduct research with a member of the school’s faculty.

Professional Outcomes: 96% of the Class of 2022 was employed or continuing their education six months after graduation. Popular employers include Accenture, PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Walt Disney Company, and Deloitte. Salaries vary between colleges; engineering grads had a median starting salary of $65k while journalism and communication grads reported a $50k median. In 2022, 24% of graduates enrolled directly into a graduate/professional degree program, with the most commonly attended schools including Columbia, Duke, Emory, Georgia Tech, Penn, and UVA.

  • Enrollment: 30,714 (undergraduate); 9,893 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $28,142 (in-state); $48,538 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1310
  • Median ACT: 29
  • Acceptance Rate: 43%
  • Retention Rate: 94%
  • Graduation Rate: 88%

#19 Best College for Meteorology
University of Oklahoma

University of Oklahoma

  • Norman, OK

Academic Highlights: In total, OU offers 170 academic programs, 80 of which are housed within the OU Health Sciences Center. With a very reasonable student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1, the University of Oklahoma is able to run 47% of its course sections with an enrollment of 19 or less. Business (26%) is by far the most commonly conferred degree, followed by engineering (13%), agriculture (9%), biology (8%), and psychology (5%).

Professional Outcomes: The top hiring employers in 2022 were Paycom, Deloitte, KPMG, Dell, AT&T, Boeing, Amazon, and Norman Public Schools. These connections are enhanced by the fact that 38% of recent grads reported completing an experiential learning opportunity during their undergraduate years. Large numbers of alumni are now pursuing an advanced degree at SMU, NYU, Oklahoma State, the University of Tulsa, and the University of Oklahoma College of Law.

  • Enrollment: 21,294
  • Cost of Attendance: $29,553 (In-State); $46,633 (Out-of-State)
  • Median SAT: 1130
  • Median ACT: 23
  • Acceptance Rate: 73%
  • Retention Rate: 84%
  • Graduation Rate: 65%

#20 Best College for Meteorology
North Carolina State University

North Carolina State University

  • Raleigh, NC

Academic Highlights: NC State offers more than 100 majors and 120 minors. 64% of sections enroll 29 or fewer students. Engineering is the most popular area of concentration as 24% of Class of 2022 graduates earned a degree in that field. Business/marketing comes in second at 17% followed by biology (10%) and agriculture (7%). NC State has an exceptional regional reputation and an expanding national one with the College of Engineering near the top of many rankings. Programs in design, architecture, and animal science are also very strong.

Professional Outcomes: 54% of students graduating in 2022 had already accepted full-time jobs before exiting; 27% were heading to graduate/professional school. Members of that class reported an average starting salary of $62,024 (with a slightly higher median). Including all graduating years, the companies employing the largest number of alumni are Cisco, Red Hat, SAS, IBM, Lenovo, Amazon, Microsoft, Intel, Google, Deloitte, Facebook, and Salesforce. Many recent grads also work for the university itself and for the Wake County Public School System.

  • Enrollment: 26,254 (undergraduate); 10,446 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $27,451 (in-state); $51,662 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1340
  • Median ACT: 28
  • Acceptance Rate: 47%
  • Retention Rate: 94%
  • Graduation Rate: 86%

#21 Best College for Meteorology
Purdue University — West Lafayette

Purdue University — West Lafayette

  • West Lafayette, IN

Academic Highlights: Purdue offers over 200 majors at ten discipline-specific colleges, and 38% of course sections have an enrollment of 19 or fewer. Engineering and engineering technologies majors earn 34% of the degrees conferred by the university; the College of Engineering cracks the top ten on almost every list of best engineering schools. The Krannert School of Management is also well-regarded by employers; 11% of degrees conferred are in business. Other popular majors include computer science (10%) and agriculture (5%)—both are incredibly strong.

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after receiving their diplomas, 70% of 2022 grads headed to the world of employment while 24% headed to graduate/professional school. The top industries entered by grads in recent years are (1) health care, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices; (2) finance, insurance, and consulting; (3) manufacturing and machinery; (4) airline, aviation, and aerospace. Companies employing the greatest number of recent alumni were Amazon, Deloitte, PepsiCo, Labcorp, Lockheed Martin, and Microsoft. The average starting salary was $68k across all degree programs.

  • Enrollment: 37,949 (undergraduate); 12,935 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $22,812 (in-state); $41,614 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1330
  • Median ACT: 31
  • Acceptance Rate: 53%
  • Retention Rate: 91%
  • Graduation Rate: 84%

#22 Best College for Meteorology
University of Miami

University of Miami

  • Coral Gables, FL

Academic Highlights: Over 100 undergrad programs are offered across nine schools, with the greatest number of degrees conferred in business/marketing (21%), health professions (13%), biology (11%), the social sciences (9%), communication (9%), and engineering (8%). The Miami Business School and the College of Engineering enjoy solid national reputations, and programs in music, marine science, communications, and architecture are also highly ranked. 52% of all course sections contain fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 98% of the Class of 2022 had positive outcomes, with 64% employed full-time and 34% in graduate school. Companies employing 2022 grads included Deloitte, Citrix, NBCUniversal, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citi, and Morgan Stanley. Across all majors, the median starting salary was an impressive $63k. 100+ Canes also can be found in the offices of Google, IBM, PwC, Apple, and Microsoft. The most frequently attended graduate school is typically Miami itself.

  • Enrollment: 12,883 (undergraduate); 6,710 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $93,146
  • Median SAT: 1410
  • Median ACT: 32
  • Acceptance Rate: 19%
  • Retention Rate: 92%
  • Graduation Rate: 84%

#23 Best College for Meteorology
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

  • Daytona Beach, FL

Academic Highlights: The only areas of study at this unique university are in the areas of applied science, aviation, business, computers & technology, engineering, space, and security, intelligence and safety. The majority of the classes are medium-sized (between 20-49 students) as the 18:1 ratio doesn’t allow for many intimate seminar courses. The most common area of study is actually aeronautics/aviation technology (44%), followed by aerospace/aeronautical/space engineering (18%), and mechanical engineering (11%).

Professional Outcomes: Those graduating in 2023 had an 85% placement rate sic months after graduation. 59% had entered the world of employment and 27% elected to pursue an advanced degree. The mean salary for those employed was $69,000 and the highest-volume employers were the US Air Force, Northrop Grumman, the US Navy, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing. Popular grad schools included the University of West Florida, the University of Florida, Johns Hopkins, and Georgia.

  • Enrollment: 7,177
  • Cost of Attendance: $65,738
  • Median SAT: 1240
  • Median ACT: 26
  • Acceptance Rate: 65%
  • Retention Rate: 82%
  • Graduation Rate: 61%

#24 Best College for Meteorology
Iowa State University

Iowa State University

  • Ames, IA

Academic Highlights: With more than 100 majors available across six undergraduate colleges, Iowa State has no shortage of academic pathways to explore. The student-to-faculty ratio is 19:1, yet, courses are a mix of large and small. 31% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students and 22% enroll more than 50. In terms of sheer popularity, engineering wins the day accounting for 23% of degrees earned in 2022. Business (18%), agricultural fields (10%), biology (5%), and education (5%) also see high volume.

Professional Outcomes: Graduates of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences are employed in fairly large numbers by the likes of John Deere, Principal Financial Group, and Amazon. Overall, the most alumni work for Wells Fargo, Bayer, Corteva Agriscience, Collins Aerospace, Cargill, and Microsoft. Most remain in Iowa after graduation but many also move to Minnesota, Chicago, California, or Texas. The average starting salary for an engineering grad was $74,716 in 2023.

  • Enrollment: 25,241
  • Cost of Attendance: $24,204 (In-State); $41,390 (Out-of-State)
  • Median SAT: 1220
  • Median ACT: 24
  • Acceptance Rate: 90%
  • Retention Rate: 86%
  • Graduation Rate: 74%

#25 Best College for Meteorology
University of Delaware

University of Delaware

  • Newark, DE

Academic Highlights: The University of Delaware offers 150 bachelor’s degree programs. Nearly one-third of students pursue a degree in either business (21%) or engineering (9%), two of the school’s highest-ranked departments. Nursing is popular, with 11% of degrees conferred being in the health professions. Other frequently pursued majors include the social sciences (10%), biology (7%), and education (5%). 62% of courses enroll fewer than 30 students. The university also has the oldest study abroad program in the nation, with 30% of undergrads participating.

Professional Outcomes: 94% of Class of 2022 grads quickly found their next destination. 66% were employed, with 74% taking jobs at for-profit companies, 16% at nonprofits, 7% in K-12 education, and 4% with a government entity. The greatest number of newly minted alums were hired by JPMorgan Chase & Co., KPMG, EY, ChristianaCare, and Deloitte. The median starting salary for this cohort was $62,000. 28% immediately pursued an advanced degree, with 62% entering master’s programs, 20% entering a professional program, and 9% beginning a PhD.

  • Enrollment: 18,066 (undergraduate); 4,557 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $33,718 (undergraduate); $57,358 (graduate)
  • Median SAT: 1280
  • Median ACT: 29
  • Acceptance Rate: 72%
  • Retention Rate: 91%
  • Graduation Rate: 82%

#26 Best College for Meteorology
University of Missouri-Columbia

University of Missouri-Columbia

  • Columbia, MO

Academic Highlights: At the University of Missouri, over 300 degree programs are offered across ten schools and colleges. The School of Journalism is highly regarded as are its programs in agriculture, health sciences, and business. By degrees conferred, the most popular areas of study are business/management/marketing (18%), health professions (18%), communication/journalism (11%), engineering (7%), and social sciences (6%).  The student-to-faculty ratio is 18:1, and 43% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 75% of the Class of 2022 was employed and 19% were continuing their education. Popular industries included healthcare, finance, education, consumer & business services, manufacturing & construction, and communications & media. The most Mizzou grads were employed by the University of Missouri itself followed by the University of Missouri Health Care, Columbia Public Schools, KPMG, PwC, and Boeing. Those continuing their studies most often did so at the University of Missouri Columbia followed by other institutions within Missouri.

  • Enrollment: 23,752 (undergraduate); 7,566 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $31,272 (in-state); $51,472 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1240
  • Median ACT: 26
  • Acceptance Rate: 79%
  • Retention Rate: 89%
  • Graduation Rate: 75%

#27 Best College for Meteorology
Florida Institute of Technology

Florida Institute of Technology

  • Melbourne, FL

Academic Highlights: More than 200 undergraduate and graduate degree programs await you at Florida Tech. You’ll study with a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio which allows for half of all courses to take place in a relatively intimate setting with fewer than 19 students. Roughly half of all degrees are in the engineering field and the most popular are aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering (13%) aviation/aerospace technology (12%), mechanical engineering (11%), computer science (6%), and ocean engineering (5%).

Professional Outcomes: Florida Institute of Technology sends a large number of grads to companies/organizations such as the US Army, Boeing, NASA, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, L3Harris Technologies, Booz Allen Hamilton, Microsoft, Blue Origin, and Amazon. Employers love the hands-on nature of an FIT education and it results in them being ranked highly in the area of graduate employability.

  • Enrollment: 3,374
  • Cost of Attendance: $64,266
  • Median SAT: 1210
  • Median ACT: 25
  • Acceptance Rate: 64%
  • Retention Rate: 75%
  • Graduation Rate: 67%

#28 Best College for Meteorology
Stony Brook University (SUNY)

Stony Brook University (SUNY)

  • Stony Brook, NY

Academic Highlights: Stony Brook offers 60+ majors and 80+ minors across six undergraduate colleges. 38% of all sections contain nineteen or fewer students. A popular and locally well-regarded nursing program leads to the largest number of degrees being conferred in health professions (14%). Strong majors in biology (14%), math (10%), business (9%), engineering (7%), and computer sciences (6%) also draw many students. The school’s reputation in the hard sciences, particularly math, chemistry, and biomedical engineering, is aided by the affiliated Stony Brook University Hospital.

Professional Outcomes: Within two years of graduation, 61% of Stony Brook graduates are employed, and 34% have entered graduate/professional school. The organizations and companies employing the greatest number of Seawolves are Northwell Health, JPMorgan Chase, Google, Amazon, Citi, Morgan Stanley, Microsoft, Apple, Bloomberg, and Microsoft. Among those pursuing further education, common choices include Stony Brook itself, other SUNY or CUNY institutions, and NYC-based powerhouses like Columbia, Fordham, and NYU.

  • Enrollment: 17,509 (undergraduate); 8,201 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $33,008 (in-state); $52,798 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1410
  • Median ACT: 31
  • Acceptance Rate: 49%
  • Retention Rate: 88%
  • Graduation Rate: 78%

#29 Best College for Meteorology
Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University

  • St. Louis, MO

Academic Highlights: SLU offers nearly 100 undergraduate programs across 10 colleges and schools. It’s ranked highly for service learning, nursing, and business, particularly entrepreneurship, finance, and international business. By degrees conferred, the most popular areas of study are health professions (28%), business/management/marketing (17%), biological sciences (9%), and engineering (9%). The student-to-faculty ratio is just 8:1, and 90% of SLU faculty hold terminal degrees in their field.

Professional Outcomes: 94% of the Class of 2022 experienced positive outcomes, with 50% employed and 44% continuing their education. The most popular sector for recent grads was healthcare followed by higher education, aerospace, management consulting, and accounting. The average starting salary is $56k; top employers include BJC Healthcare, Boeing, Mercy, SSM Health, Saint Louis University, and Deloitte. For those who continued on to grad school, SLU itself was the most popular destination followed by Washington University in St. Louis.

  • Enrollment: 8,502 (undergraduate); 6,702 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $73,884
  • Median SAT: 1290
  • Median SAT: 29
  • Acceptance Rate: 85%
  • Retention Rate: 89%
  • Graduation Rate: 80%

#30 Best College for Meteorology
Rutgers University — New Brunswick

Rutgers University — New Brunswick

  • New Brunswick, NJ

Academic Highlights: Rutgers is divided into 17 schools and colleges, collectively offering 100+ undergraduate majors. 41% of class sections have an enrollment of nineteen or fewer students. The greatest number of degrees are conferred in business (20%), computer science (12%), engineering (10%), health professions (10%), biology (9%), and social sciences (7%). Rutgers Business School sends many majors to top Wall Street investment banks, and programs in computer science, public health, and criminal justice have a terrific national reputation.

Professional Outcomes: Upon graduation, 82% of Class of 2022 grads had secured a first job or were heading to an advanced degree program. 67% headed directly to the world of employment, where the companies hiring the largest number of grads included Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oréal, and JP Morgan Chase. Investment banks like Goldman Sachs and Citi also employ hundreds of alumni, as do companies like Verizon, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Novartis, Pfizer, and Google. The median starting salary across all majors was $70,000.

  • Enrollment: 36,344 (undergraduate); 14,293 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $37,849 (in-state); $57,138 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1370
  • Median ACT: 31
  • Acceptance Rate: 66%
  • Retention Rate: 92%
  • Graduation Rate: 84%

#31 Best College for Meteorology
Indiana University

Indiana University

  • Bloomington, IL

Academic Highlights: IU offers 200+ majors. The university’s 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio is not bad for a school of Indiana’s size, and it does make an effort to keep undergraduate classes on the small side. While there are a number of introductory courses that transpire in giant lecture halls, 37% of all sections contain no more than 19 students. Business/marketing is the most popular major accounting for 30% of the total degrees conferred and biology is second at 9%. IU’s computer science degree program is the school’s third most frequently conferred degree at 8%.

Professional Outcomes: Class of 2022 grads reached their next employment or graduate school destination at a 94% rate within six months of receiving their degrees. The median starting salary for A&S grads was $41,000. In the Kelley School of Business, 97% were placed successfully within six months, and the median starting salary was $67,000. Among the most frequently attended graduate schools by recent grads are Indiana Bloomington (including its own law and medical schools), Purdue, Loyola Chicago, Northwestern, and Columbia.

  • Enrollment: 35,660
  • Cost of Attendance: $25,170 (In-State); $53,860 (Out-of-State)
  • Median SAT: 1280
  • Median ACT: 30
  • Acceptance Rate: 82%
  • Retention Rate: 91%
  • Graduation Rate: 81%

#32 Best College for Meteorology
University of North Carolina Asheville

University of North Carolina Asheville

  • Asheville, NC

Academic Highlights: Of the 30+ bachelor’s degree programs, a standout Art & Art History Department attracts scores of talented young painters, sculptors, and photographers. As such, it conferred the greatest percentage of degrees in 2022 (16%), followed by psychology (14%), the social sciences (10%), and business (9%). Engineering and computer science degrees accounted for a combined 19%. 97% of courses enroll 29 or fewer students (the average class size is just 14), and 65% of students complete original research in their field of study.

Professional Outcomes: Asheville rates well when it comes to generating a high degree of social mobility. Employers snagging the greatest number of Bulldog alumni include Mission Health, Wells Fargo, Lowe’s, Bank of America, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and a number of local school districts. A fair number of grads also find employment at Duke Energy Company, the US Environmental Protection Agency, Apple, EY, PwC, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Many alumni pursue graduate schools at other public universities within North Carolina.

  • Enrollment: 2,907 (undergraduate); 18 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $24,856 (in-state); $43,304 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1240
  • Median ACT: 26
  • Acceptance Rate: 94%
  • Retention Rate: 73%
  • Graduation Rate: 56%

#33 Best College for Meteorology
University of Kansas

University of Kansas

  • Lawrence, KS

Academic Highlights: The University of Kansas is comprised of 14 academic schools that offer over 190 undergraduate majors. Its programs in nursing, psychology, business, and engineering are particularly strong. Popularity-wise, the most degrees are conferred in psychology (7%), journalism (5%), finance (5%), nursing (5%), marketing (4%), and accounting (4%). 49% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students. As a top research institution, there are an incredible number of research opportunities for undergraduates across all majors.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 54% of alumni were employed full-time while 35% were continuing their education. For those employed, the average salary was $55k; top employers included University of Kansas, University of Kansas Medical Center, Shawnee Mission School District, Kansas City Public Schools, Burns & McDonnell, and Kiewit. For those pursuing graduate or professional degrees, the most popular area of study was accounting followed by pharmacy and law; the top institution attended was the University of Kansas itself.

  • Enrollment: 20,696 (undergraduate); 7,710 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $28,280 (in-state); $45,486 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1160
  • Median ACT: 24
  • Acceptance Rate: 88%
  • Retention Rate: 85%
  • Graduation Rate: 69%

#34 Best College for Meteorology
University of Nebraska – Lincoln

University of Nebraska – Lincoln

  • Lincoln, NE

Academic Highlights: There are more than 150 majors at the University of Nebraska and students enjoy a mix of smaller classes (34% have fewer than 20 students) and larger ones (18% have more than 50). Overall, 23% of the undergraduate degrees conferred are in business and 11% are in engineering. The next most common disciplines are agriculture (9%), journalism (8%), and family & consumer sciences (7%). Business, computer science, engineering, and psychology all receive their share of acclaim.

Professional Outcomes: Nine months after graduating, alumni have entered the workforce at a 63% clip and 35% have matriculated into graduate/professional school. Employers hiring more than a few recent graduates included Microsoft, Deloitte, Amazon, Epic, Union Bank & Trust Company, and Ameritas Life Insurance Corporation. Multiple grads enrolled at the following graduate/professional schools: the University of Nebraska College of Law, Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, University of Michigan, and Boston University.

  • Enrollment: 19,189
  • Cost of Attendance: $28,594 (In-State); $46,234 (Out-of-State)
  • Median SAT: 1210
  • Median ACT: 24
  • Acceptance Rate: 79%
  • Retention Rate: 82%
  • Graduation Rate: 65%

#35 Best College for Meteorology
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

  • Charlotte, NC

Academic Highlights: UNC Charlotte offers over 90 bachelor’s degree programs across seven different colleges, including the William States Lee College of Engineering, which is one of the top in the state. Business, computer science, nursing, and psychology are also strong. Popularity-wise, the most degrees are conferred in business (19%), computer science (11%), health professions (10%), engineering (8%), biology (8%), psychology (7%), and social sciences (7%). The student-to-faculty ratio is 20:1, and 28% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of exiting, 68% of 2022 grads were employed full-time. The average starting salary was $65k. Top employers included Bank of America, Atrium Health, Wells Fargo, Amazon, Novant Health, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, TIAA, UNC Charlotte, Deloitte, and Fidelity Investments. Of the 28% who opted to continue their education, the most commonly pursued degree was a master’s and UNC Charlotte was the most popular destination, followed by UNC Wilmington, NC State, Liberty University, and UNC Chapel Hill.

  • Enrollment: 23,981 (undergraduate); 6,317 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $24,672 (in-state); $40,226 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1220
  • Median ACT: 24
  • Acceptance Rate: 80%
  • Retention Rate: 84%
  • Graduation Rate: 68%

We hope you have found our list of the Best Colleges for Meteorology to be useful and informative as you continue your college search process. We also invite you to check out some of our other resources and tools including: