2026 Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Far Western Region
[Engineering Physics](/majors/engineering/engineering-physics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 16 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value engineering physics schools.
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2026 Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Far Western Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the engineering physics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Engineering Physics Schools
Leading the list is University Of California Berkeley, our #1 best value for engineering physics in the Far Western Region. University Of California Berkeley is a very large public school located in the city of Berkeley. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,377, while out-of-state students pay about $47,265. Typical student debt for engineering physics graduates is $14,238. Engineering Physics graduates of University Of California Berkeley earn a median of $70,847 early in their careers. Set against $14,238 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of California Berkeley admits about 11% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes California Institute Of Technology one of the best values for engineering physics. Set in the city of Pasadena, California Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,898. Soon after graduation, engineering physics degree recipients from California Institute Of Technology generally make around $173,344. Roughly 3% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Oregon came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering physics schools. Set in the city of Eugene, University Of Oregon is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,320, while out-of-state students pay about $42,516. Typical student debt for engineering physics graduates is $22,034. Early-career engineering physics graduates make about $98,640. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Biola University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering physics schools. Located in the suburb of La Mirada, Biola University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $48,984 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for engineering physics graduates is $25,308. Engineering Physics graduates of Biola University earn a median of $45,003 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
