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2026 Best Value Chemical Physics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

[Chemical Physics](/majors/physical-sciences/chemistry/chemical-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.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for chemical physics students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Chemical Physics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

2026 Best Value Chemical Physics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in chemical physics, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Chemical Physics Schools

1

University Of Maryland College Park
College Park, MD

$11,809 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,238 Avg Student Debt

$82,860 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in chemical physics, no school beat University Of Maryland College Park this year. Set in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,809 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $41,186. Students borrow a median of $21,238 to complete the chemical physics program here. Early-career chemical physics graduates make about $46,140. That is a strong return on a $21,238 median debt. University Of Maryland College Park admits about 45% of applicants.

2

Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA

$65,636 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,529 Avg Student Debt

$114,862 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes Carnegie Mellon University one of the best values for chemical physics. 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. Typical student debt for chemical physics graduates is $23,529. Early-career chemical physics graduates make about $89,327. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 12% 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 · 6 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.