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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Natural Sciences

17 Ranked Colleges
813 Degrees Awarded
$23,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Natural Sciences is the 209th most popular major in the country with 2,345 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, natural sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $30,257 and had an average of $22,289 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 813 natural sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 17 colleges that offer a degree in natural sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent natural sciences programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the natural sciences program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s” 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 when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s.

Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Natural Sciences

#1

American Public University System

Charles Town, West Virginia
#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend American Public University System. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s. American Public University System is located in Charles Town, West Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s natural sciences degrees to qualified students.

American Military University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $10,222 for Bachelor’s Degree Natural Sciences students per year to attend American Military University.

With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Natural Sciences at American Military University

#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Chico. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s. This fairly large school is located in Chico, California, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s natural sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Chico State also made our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend Chico State is $15,017 for bachelor’s degree natural sciences students.

The low 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%.

Full California State University - Chico Natural Sciences Report

#3

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Kansas State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Kansas State University is located in Manhattan, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 71 bachelors’s natural sciences degrees to qualified students.

K -State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $18,285 for bachelor’s degree natural sciences students per year to attend Kansas State University.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Kansas State University Natural Sciences Report

#13 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Nebraska at Omaha. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s natural sciences degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.

UNOMAHA also made our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for University of Nebraska at Omaha is $14,040 for Bachelor’s Degree Natural Sciences students.

Read full report on Natural Sciences at University of Nebraska at Omaha

#5

Indiana University - East

Richmond, Indiana

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - East landed the #5 spot on the list. Indiana University - East is a public institution located in Richmond, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

IU East also made our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $7,722 for bachelor’s degree natural sciences students per year to attend Indiana University - East.

Read more about Natural Sciences at IU East

#6

Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Temple University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Temple is a public institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Temple did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Temple University is $23,521 for bachelor’s degree natural sciences 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.

Read more about Natural Sciences at Temple

#12 in overall quality

Colorado State University - Fort Collins did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. This large school is located in Fort Collins, Colorado, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s natural sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree natural sciences students list, Colorado State has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Colorado State is $18,668 for bachelor’s degree natural sciences students.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Natural Sciences at Colorado State

#8

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois

Dominican University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Dominican University is a small school located in River Forest, Illinois that handed out 22 bachelors’s natural sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Dominican U did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $19,268 for Bachelor’s Degree Natural Sciences students per year to attend Dominican University.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Dominican University Natural Sciences Report

With a ranking of #9, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s natural sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology also took the #17 spot in our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $14,848 for Bachelor’s Degree Natural Sciences students per year to attend Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.

Read full report on Natural Sciences at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology

#10

Oklahoma Baptist University

Shawnee, Oklahoma
#16 in overall quality

Oklahoma Baptist University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Oklahoma Baptist University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

OBU also made our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $21,446 for bachelor’s degree natural sciences students per year to attend Oklahoma Baptist University.

Read more about Natural Sciences at OBU

#11

Mount Saint Mary College

Newburgh, New York
#14 in overall quality

Mount Saint Mary College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in Newburgh, New York, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s natural sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Mount Saint Mary also took the #14 spot in our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $25,242 for Bachelor’s Degree Natural Sciences students per year to attend Mount Saint Mary.

Read full report on Natural Sciences at Mount Saint Mary

#12

College of Saint Benedict

Saint Joseph, Minnesota
#4 in overall quality

College of Saint Benedict came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This small school is located in Saint Joseph, Minnesota, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s natural sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

CSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $25,785 for bachelor’s degree natural sciences students per year to attend CSB.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full CSB Natural Sciences Report

#13

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland
#1 in overall quality

Johns Hopkins University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 33 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s natural sciences students in 2019-2020.

Johns Hopkins also made our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $29,342 for bachelor’s degree natural sciences students per year to attend Johns Hopkins.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Natural Sciences at Johns Hopkins University

#14

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, California

Loyola Marymount University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 46 degrees to qualified bachelors’s natural sciences students in 2019-2020.

Loyola Marymount not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Loyola Marymount University is $42,861 for bachelor’s degree natural sciences students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Loyola Marymount University Natural Sciences Report

#15

Hofstra University

Hempstead, New York
#10 in overall quality

Hofstra University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Hofstra University is a fairly large school located in Hempstead, New York that handed out 5 bachelors’s natural sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Hofstra also took the #10 spot in our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $32,838 for bachelor’s degree natural sciences students per year to attend Hofstra.

The low student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 Natural Sciences at Hofstra

#16

Pepperdine University

Malibu, California
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Pepperdine University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Malibu, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s natural sciences students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Pepperdine, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Pepperdine University is $36,996 for Bachelor’s Degree Natural Sciences students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Pepperdine University Natural Sciences Report

#17

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
#3 in overall quality

Boston College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s natural sciences degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

Boston College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Natural Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Boston College is $35,899 for bachelor’s degree natural sciences students.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Sciences at Boston College

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Agsftw.

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