2023 Best Value Physical Science Schools
25
Ranked Colleges
3,823
Degrees Awarded
$14,300
Avg Net Price*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Physical Science Schools” ranking.
In 2020-2021, 3,823 people earned their degree in general physical sciences, making the major the 144th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, general physical sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $26,561 and had an average of $12,761 in loans still to pay off.
For this year’s “Best Value Physical Science Schools” ranking, we looked at 25 colleges that offer a degree in general physical sciences. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general physical sciences programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general physical sciences program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
The physical science school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Physical Science Schools”.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Physical Science Schools
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Physical Science Schools.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Physical Sciences
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Middlesex County College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Physical Science Schools list. Middlesex County College is a public institution located in Edison, New Jersey. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 202 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Middlesex County College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” list. It costs about $9,950 for physical science students per year to attend Middlesex County College.
Read full report on General Physical Sciences at Middlesex County College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Jackson College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Physical Science Schools list. Jackson College is located in Jackson, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 ’s physical science degrees to qualified students.
Jackson College also took the #10 spot in our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Jackson College is $10,729 for Physical Science students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about General Physical Sciences at Jackson College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend LaGuardia Community College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Physical Science Schools list. Long Island City, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physical science degrees to 243 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our physical science students list, LaGuardia has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for LaGuardia is $7,444 for Physical Science students.
Read more about General Physical Sciences at LaGuardia Community College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Richard Bland College of William and Mary. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Physical Science Schools. Richard Bland College of William and Mary is a small public school situated in South Prince George, Virginia. It awarded 157 ’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our physical science students list, RBC has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for RBC is $13,322 for physical science students.
Read more about General Physical Sciences at Richard Bland College of William and Mary
Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Physical Science Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, University of New Mexico - Taos Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. UNM Taos is a small public school situated in Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico. It awarded 28 ’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
UNM Taos also made our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $10,375 for physical science students per year to attend University of New Mexico - Taos Campus.
Read more about General Physical Sciences at UNM Taos
Borough of Manhattan Community College landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Science Schools ranking. BMCC is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 131 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
BMCC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” list. It costs about $5,646 for Physical Science students per year to attend BMCC.
Full BMCC General Physical Sciences Report
Georgia Southern University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Physical Science Schools list. Located in Statesboro, Georgia, this large public school awarded 7 degrees to qualified ’s physical science students in 2020-2021.
GaSou not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for GaSou is $15,571 for physical science students.
Full GaSou General Physical Sciences Report
New York City College of Technology landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Science Schools ranking. City Tech is located in Brooklyn, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 70 ’s physical science degrees to qualified students.
City Tech also made our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend New York City College of Technology is $4,120 for Physical Science students.
Read full report on General Physical Sciences at City Tech
With a ranking of #9, University of New Mexico - Gallup Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Science Schools list. University of New Mexico - Gallup Campus is a public institution located in Gallup, New Mexico. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNM Gallup, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNM Gallup is $7,349 for physical science students.
Read full report on General Physical Sciences at University of New Mexico - Gallup Campus
Medgar Evers College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Science Schools ranking. Medgar Evers College is a small public school situated in Brooklyn, New York. It awarded 225 ’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
Medgar not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Medgar is $6,689 for Physical Science students.
Read more about General Physical Sciences at Medgar Evers College
University of New Mexico - Valencia County Campus landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Science Schools ranking. UNM Valencia is a small public school situated in Los Lunas, New Mexico. It awarded 22 ’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
UNM Valencia also made our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” list, coming in at #24. The yearly cost to attend University of New Mexico - Valencia County Campus is $8,608 for physical science students.
Full UNM Valencia General Physical Sciences Report
University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physical Science Schools ranking, coming in at #12. Pitt is a public institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our physical science students list, Pitt has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Pitt is $27,058 for Physical Science students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Physical Sciences at Pitt
Humboldt State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Physical Science Schools list. This medium-sized school is located in Arcata, California, and it awarded 2 ’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our physical science students list, Humboldt State University has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Humboldt State University is $14,956 for physical science students.
Full Humboldt State University General Physical Sciences Report
With a ranking of #14, Wright State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Science Schools list. Wright State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Dayton, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wright State University - Main Campus, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wright State University - Main Campus is $15,962 for physical science students.
Read full report on General Physical Sciences at Wright State University - Main Campus
California State University - Stanislaus landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Science Schools ranking. California State University - Stanislaus is a public institution located in Turlock, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Stan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Stanislaus is $6,566 for physical science students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on General Physical Sciences at California State University - Stanislaus
Washington State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Science Schools ranking. Wazzu is a large public school situated in Pullman, Washington. It awarded 5 ’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
Wazzu also made our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Washington State University is $15,300 for physical science students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Physical Sciences at Washington State University
Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Science Schools ranking. Located in Tempe, Arizona, this large public school awarded 58 diplomas to qualified ’s physical science students in 2020-2021.
ASU - Tempe also made our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for Arizona State University - Tempe is $13,107 for physical science students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Read more about General Physical Sciences at ASU - Tempe
University of New Mexico - Los Alamos Campus came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Science Schools ranking. UNM Los Alamos is located in Los Alamos, New Mexico and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 ’s physical science degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNM Los Alamos, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of New Mexico - Los Alamos Campus is $12,394 for Physical Science students.
Read full report on General Physical Sciences at UNM Los Alamos
University of Maryland - College Park landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Science Schools ranking. This large school is located in College Park, Maryland, and it awarded 1 ’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
UMCP also took the #6 spot in our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMCP is $18,048 for physical science students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on General Physical Sciences at UMCP
Western Kentucky University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Physical Science Schools list. Western Kentucky University is a fairly large school located in Bowling Green, Kentucky that handed out 1 ’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at WKU, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for WKU is $12,522 for Physical Science students.
Full Western Kentucky University General Physical Sciences Report
Michigan State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Science Schools ranking. Michigan State is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 2 ’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
Michigan State also took the #9 spot in our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State University is $19,058 for physical science students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Michigan State University General Physical Sciences Report
University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Physical Science Schools list. University of California - Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 ’s physical science degrees to qualified students.
UC Santa Cruz also took the #7 spot in our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Santa Cruz is $17,930 for Physical Science students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of California - Santa Cruz General Physical Sciences Report
Rochester Institute of Technology came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Science Schools ranking. Rochester Institute of Technology is a fairly large school located in Rochester, New York that handed out 41 ’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at RIT, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend RIT is $34,822 for physical science students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about General Physical Sciences at RIT
Emory University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Science Schools ranking. Atlanta, Georgia is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s physical science degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.
Emory did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Emory University is $22,597 for Physical Science students.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read more about General Physical Sciences at Emory
University of Chicago ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Physical Science Schools list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 24 degrees to qualified ’s physical science students in 2020-2021.
UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best General Physical Sciences Schools” list. It costs about $28,517 for physical science students per year to attend University of Chicago.
With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Physical Sciences at University of Chicago
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