by our College Data Analytics Team
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 3,823 people earned their degree in general physical sciences, making the major the 144th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, general physical sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $26,561 and had an average of $12,761 in loans still to pay off.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 320 general physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major” ranking looked at 74 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general physical sciences. That schools that top this list have a program in general physical sciences in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
The physical science school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major”.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree physical science students.
Out of the 74 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Covenant College landed the #1 spot on the list. Covenant is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’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%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wright State University - Lake Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major. Celina, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical science degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about General Physical Sciences at Wright State University - Lake Campus
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The Graduate Center, CUNY. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major. The Graduate Center is located in New York, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 63 bachelors’s physical science degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, 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.
Out of the 74 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Bethany College West Virginia landed the #4 spot on the list. This small school is located in Bethany, West Virginia, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Bethany College West Virginia General Physical Sciences Report
Out of the 74 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major that were part of this year’s ranking, United States Naval Academy landed the #5 spot on the list. Annapolis, Maryland is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical science degrees to 18 students in 2020-2021.
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major ranking. Socorro, New Mexico is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical science degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on General Physical Sciences at New Mexico Tech
Wesleyan University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major ranking. This small school is located in Middletown, Connecticut, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.
Read full report on General Physical Sciences at Wesleyan University
Villanova University ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major list. Located in Villanova, Pennsylvania, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 36 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical science students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Lincoln University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major ranking, coming in at #9. Lincoln University is a small public school situated in Lincoln University, Pennsylvania. It awarded 4 bachelors’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #10, Chadron State College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major list. Chadron, Nebraska is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical science degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on General Physical Sciences at Chadron State College
United States Air Force Academy did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major ranking, coming in at #11. USAFA is a small school located in USAF Academy, Colorado that handed out 4 bachelors’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #12, Hardin - Simmons University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major list. Located in Abilene, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 2 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physical science students in 2020-2021.
Full Hardin - Simmons University General Physical Sciences Report
Rochester Institute of Technology landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major ranking. Rochester, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physical science degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major ranking. UPR Mayaguez is located in Mayaguez, and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s physical science degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 General Physical Sciences at UPR Mayaguez
Auburn University at Montgomery landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major ranking. Auburn University at Montgomery is a medium-sized public school situated in Montgomery, Alabama. It awarded 3 bachelors’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major ranking. ASU - Tempe is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 58 bachelors’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on General Physical Sciences at Arizona State University - Tempe
Coe College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major ranking, coming in at #17. This small school is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major list. UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large school located in Santa Cruz, California that handed out 14 bachelors’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Dakota State University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major list. Dakota State University is a small school located in Madison, South Dakota that handed out 1 bachelors’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #20, Kansas State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major list. K -State is located in Manhattan, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s physical science degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.
Yale University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major ranking, coming in at #21. Located in New Haven, Connecticut, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 7 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physical science students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read more about General Physical Sciences at Yale University
With a ranking of #22, California State University - Fresno did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major list. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school handed out 9 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physical science students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.
Emporia State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major ranking, coming in at #23. ESU is a medium-sized public school situated in Emporia, Kansas. It awarded 2 bachelors’s physical science degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% 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%.
Humboldt State University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major ranking. Arcata, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical science degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.
Full Humboldt State University General Physical Sciences Report
With a ranking of #25, Emory University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Science Major list. Emory is a private not-for-profit institution located in Atlanta, Georgia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
