{
  "major": "Atmospheric Science & Meteorology",
  "slug": "atmospheric-science-meteorology",
  "field": "Physical & Earth Sciences",
  "as_of": "2026",
  "url": "https://collegeranked.com/best-atmospheric-science-meteorology-schools/",
  "source": "U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2026 release); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics",
  "metric_definitions": {
    "median_earnings": "Median earnings one year after graduation (Scorecard)",
    "net_price": "Average annual cost of attendance after grant aid. For PUBLIC schools this reflects IN-STATE cost; out-of-state students pay more.",
    "roi_10yr_usd": "Ten years of earnings minus four years of net price",
    "public": "true = public university (net_price is in-state basis); false = private (residency-neutral)"
  },
  "total_colleges_with_reported_data": 12,
  "shown": 12,
  "ranking": [
    {
      "rank": 1,
      "school": "University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign",
      "state": "IL",
      "median_earnings": 41026,
      "net_price": 14355,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 352840,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 2,
      "school": "Florida State University",
      "state": "FL",
      "median_earnings": 39967,
      "net_price": 11297,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 354482,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 3,
      "school": "University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus",
      "state": "OK",
      "median_earnings": 44270,
      "net_price": 15300,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 381500,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 4,
      "school": "Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University",
      "state": "VA",
      "median_earnings": 43494,
      "net_price": 24953,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 335128,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 5,
      "school": "Texas A&M University-College Station",
      "state": "TX",
      "median_earnings": 41519,
      "net_price": 21315,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 329930,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 6,
      "school": "University of Missouri-Columbia",
      "state": "MO",
      "median_earnings": 41430,
      "net_price": 20268,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 333228,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 7,
      "school": "Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus",
      "state": "PA",
      "median_earnings": 42595,
      "net_price": 32875,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 294450,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 8,
      "school": "Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott",
      "state": "AZ",
      "median_earnings": 41515,
      "net_price": 40287,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 254002,
      "public": false
    },
    {
      "rank": 9,
      "school": "Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach",
      "state": "FL",
      "median_earnings": 41515,
      "net_price": 41272,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 250062,
      "public": false
    },
    {
      "rank": 10,
      "school": "Ball State University",
      "state": "IN",
      "median_earnings": 36920,
      "net_price": 14940,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 309440,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 11,
      "school": "SUNY Maritime College",
      "state": "NY",
      "median_earnings": 34361,
      "net_price": 22367,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 254142,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 12,
      "school": "University of Wisconsin-Madison",
      "state": "WI",
      "median_earnings": 36790,
      "net_price": 17354,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 298484,
      "public": true
    }
  ]
}