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2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region

179 Ranked Colleges
3,867 Degrees Awarded
$38,000 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 13,674 people earned their degree in physics, making the major the 68th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, physics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $42,960 and had an average of $22,756 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Far Western US region, there were 3,867 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,477 and $19,896 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region” ranking, we looked at 179 colleges that offer a degree in physics. That schools that top this list have a program in physics in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for far western us region physics students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Physics in the Far Western US Region

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region list. This small school is located in Pasadena, California, and it awarded 52 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Caltech Physics Report

2
Reed crest
Reed College
Portland, Oregon

Out of the 179 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Reed College landed the #2 spot on the list. Portland, Oregon is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s physics degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 Physics at Reed

3
Harvey Mudd College crest
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvey Mudd College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region list. Harvey Mudd College is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 11 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Full Harvey Mudd College Physics Report

4
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Pomona College
Claremont, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pomona College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region list. Pomona is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 15 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Pomona College Physics Report

5

Out of the 179 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school handed out 199 degrees to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, 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 91%.

Full University of California - Santa Barbara Physics Report

6
CSM crest
College of San Mateo
San Mateo, California

College of San Mateo did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #6. CSM is a medium-sized public school situated in San Mateo, California. It awarded 27 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Physics at CSM

7
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Whitman College
Walla Walla, Washington

With a ranking of #7, Whitman College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region list. Whitman is located in Walla Walla, Washington and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.

Read full report on Physics at Whitman

8
Napa Valley College crest
Napa Valley College
Napa, California

Napa Valley College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Napa, California, this small public school awarded 24 diplomas to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Physics at Napa Valley College

9
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Whitworth University
Spokane, Washington

Whitworth University ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region list. This small school is located in Spokane, Washington, and it awarded 14 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at Whitworth

10
Willamette crest
Willamette University
Salem, Oregon

Willamette University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Willamette University is a small school located in Salem, Oregon that handed out 11 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Physics at Willamette

11
Irvine Valley College crest
Irvine Valley College
Irvine, California

Irvine Valley College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Irvine, California, and it awarded 81 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Physics at Irvine Valley College

12
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University ranked #12 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region list. This fairly large school is located in Stanford, California, and it awarded 85 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Physics at Stanford University

13
Cuyamaca College crest
Cuyamaca College
El Cajon, California

Cuyamaca College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #13. Cuyamaca College is a medium-sized school located in El Cajon, California that handed out 19 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Physics at Cuyamaca College

14

With a ranking of #14, University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school awarded 262 diplomas to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about Physics at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

15
Oxy crest
Occidental College
Los Angeles, California

Occidental College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #15. Occidental College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 8 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at Occidental College

16

University of California - Santa Cruz came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school handed out 95 degrees to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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%.

Read full report on Physics at University of California - Santa Cruz

17
Scripps crest
Scripps College
Claremont, California

Scripps College ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region list. Claremont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s physics degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Scripps College Physics Report

18
GCC crest
Glendale Community College
Glendale, California

With a ranking of #18, Glendale Community College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region list. Glendale Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Glendale, California. It awarded 25 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Glendale Community College Physics Report

19
Puget Sound crest
University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, Washington

University of Puget Sound came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in Tacoma, Washington, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, 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 full report on Physics at University of Puget Sound

20
Skyline College crest
Skyline College
San Bruno, California

Skyline College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Skyline College is a medium-sized public school situated in San Bruno, California. It awarded 18 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Skyline College Physics Report

21
Norco College crest
Norco College
Norco, California

Norco College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #21. Norco College is a medium-sized public school situated in Norco, California. It awarded 34 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Norco College Physics Report

22
Claremont McKenna crest
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, California

Claremont McKenna College ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region list. Claremont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s physics degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Physics at Claremont McKenna College

23

University of California - Berkeley landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. UC Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 197 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Physics at UC Berkeley

24
Moorpark College crest
Moorpark College
Moorpark, California

Moorpark College landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Moorpark, California, and it awarded 69 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Physics at Moorpark College

25
Pitzer crest
Pitzer College
Claremont, California

Pitzer College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 3 degrees to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at Pitzer

Rest of the Best 27 in Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Far Western US Region

Not only did these schools make the top 27 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
PLU crest
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, Washington
27

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