by our College Data Analytics Team
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 50,306 people earned their degree in physical sciences, making the major the 19th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, physical sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $39,880 and had an average of $22,620 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Southeast region, there were 9,420 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,772 and $23,221 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region” ranking, we looked at 316 colleges that offer a degree in physical sciences. That schools that top this list have a program in physical sciences in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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 Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region physical sciences students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Richard Bland College of William and Mary. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region list. This small school is located in South Prince George, Virginia, and it awarded 157 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Dillard University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region. This small school is located in New Orleans, Louisiana, and it awarded 18 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Out of the 316 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, West Virginia Wesleyan College landed the #3 spot on the list. West Virginia Wesleyan is located in Buckhannon, West Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 26 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at West Virginia Wesleyan College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Fisk University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region. Fisk is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out of the 316 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Rhodes College landed the #5 spot on the list. Memphis, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s physical sciences degrees to 36 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 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.
Hendrix College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #6. Conway, Arkansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s physical sciences degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%. 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.
Bethany College West Virginia came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Bethany, West Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 7 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at Bethany College West Virginia
Xavier University of Louisiana did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #8. Located in New Orleans, Louisiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 37 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
Full Xavier University of Louisiana Physical Sciences Report
Kentucky Wesleyan College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Wesleyan is located in Owensboro, Kentucky and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
Hampden - Sydney College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #10. Hampden - Sydney is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hampden-Sydney, Virginia. It awarded 13 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
With a ranking of #11, Davidson College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region list. Davidson College is located in Davidson, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Randolph College ranked #12 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region list. Lynchburg, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s physical sciences degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Morehouse College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #13. Morehouse is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
With a ranking of #14, Tougaloo College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region list. Tougaloo is a small school located in Tougaloo, Mississippi that handed out 7 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Wofford College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region list. Wofford is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It awarded 24 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Emory and Henry College ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region list. Emory & Henry College is located in Emory, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
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.
With a ranking of #17, Covenant College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region list. Covenant is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Mississippi State University ranked #18 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region list. Located in Mississippi State, Mississippi, this large public school awarded 243 diplomas to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Randolph - Macon College landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Randolph - Macon College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Ashland, Virginia. It awarded 17 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
University of Alabama in Huntsville did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #20. UAH is a public institution located in Huntsville, Alabama. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 98 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%.
Full University of Alabama in Huntsville Physical Sciences Report
University of Mary Washington did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, this small public school awarded 53 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of Mary Washington
Centre College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Centre College of Kentucky is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Danville, Kentucky. It awarded 17 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at Centre College of Kentucky
Berea College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Berea is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Berea, Kentucky. It awarded 12 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.
William & Mary came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region ranking. William & Mary is located in Williamsburg, Virginia and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 120 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Furman University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Furman is a small school located in Greenville, South Carolina that handed out 35 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, 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.
Not only did these schools make the top 48 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
