2027 Best Value General Materials Science Schools

[General Materials Science](/majors/physical-sciences/materials-sciences/general-materials-science/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general materials science education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for general materials science students.
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Finding the Best Value General Materials Science School for You
The right general materials science school can pay off for years to come. That is why we developed our Best Value General Materials Science Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value General Materials Science Schools list, to help you decide. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
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2027 Best Value General Materials Science Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general materials science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Materials Science Schools
For return on investment in general materials science, no school beat University Of California Berkeley this year. Set in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,377, compared with $47,265 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,238 to complete the general materials science program here. General Materials Science graduates of University Of California Berkeley earn a median of $70,847 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,238 median debt. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of California Santa Barbara earned it the #2 place for general materials science. Located in the suburb of Santa Barbara, University Of California Santa Barbara is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,444, with out-of-state students paying around $47,332. General Materials Science graduates carry a median of $15,501 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general materials science degree recipients from University Of California Santa Barbara generally make around $45,488. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Santa Barbara admits about 33% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Delaware earned it the #3 place for general materials science. Located in the suburb of Newark, University Of Delaware is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,810, with out-of-state students paying around $41,400. Typical student debt for general materials science graduates is $24,861. General Materials Science graduates of University Of Delaware earn a median of $54,155 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,861 median debt. University Of Delaware admits about 71% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general materials science will find it at University At Buffalo, which ranked #4. Located in the suburb of Buffalo, University At Buffalo is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,936, compared with $31,536 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general materials science graduates is $22,232. Soon after graduation, general materials science degree recipients from University At Buffalo generally make around $52,403. Set against $22,232 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Students looking for strong value in general materials science will find it at Texas A And M University College Station, which ranked #5. Set in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,995, while out-of-state students pay about $40,124. Typical student debt for general materials science graduates is $20,031. Early-career general materials science graduates make about $64,891. That is a strong return on a $20,031 median debt. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
Columbia University In The City Of New York came in at #6 for value in general materials science this year. Located in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $70,517. General Materials Science graduates carry a median of $23,258 in student loans. General Materials Science graduates of Columbia University In The City Of New York earn a median of $86,770 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,258 median debt. The acceptance rate is 4%.
Carnegie Mellon University earned the #7 position for value in general materials science this year. Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,636. Students borrow a median of $23,529 to complete the general materials science program here. Soon after graduation, general materials science degree recipients from Carnegie Mellon University generally make around $89,327. That is a strong return on a $23,529 median debt. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus placed #8 among the best values for general materials science. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of University Park. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $20,644, while out-of-state students pay about $41,790. Students borrow a median of $24,750 to complete the general materials science program here. Soon after graduation, general materials science degree recipients from Pennsylvania State University Main Campus generally make around $72,216. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
Rochester Institute Of Technology landed the #9 spot for general materials science value this year. Set in the suburb of Rochester, Rochester Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $59,210. General Materials Science graduates carry a median of $27,491 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general materials science degree recipients from Rochester Institute Of Technology generally make around $63,515. Set against $27,491 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 67%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.