2026 Best Value Chemical & Physical Oceanography Schools in California
[Chemical & Physical Oceanography](/majors/physical-sciences/geological-and-earth-sciences/oceanography-chemical-and-physical/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for chemical & physical oceanography students.
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2026 Best Value Chemical & Physical Oceanography Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in chemical & physical oceanography, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Chemical & Physical Oceanography Schools
Leading the list is University Of California San Diego, our #1 best value for chemical & physical oceanography in California. Set in the city of La Jolla, University Of California San Diego is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,788 in tuition and fees, compared with $47,676 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,101 to complete the chemical & physical oceanography program here. Soon after graduation, chemical & physical oceanography degree recipients from University Of California San Diego generally make around $79,645. Set against $17,101 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 27%.
Humboldt State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in chemical & physical oceanography, landing the #2 spot this year. Humboldt State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Arcata. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,397, with out-of-state students paying around $20,997. Typical student debt for chemical & physical oceanography graduates is $20,526. Chemical & Physical Oceanography graduates of Humboldt State University earn a median of $29,476 early in their careers. Set against $20,526 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of California Santa Cruz one of the best values for chemical & physical oceanography. Set in the city of Santa Cruz, University Of California Santa Cruz is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,035 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $46,923. Students borrow a median of $20,833 to complete the chemical & physical oceanography program here. Soon after graduation, chemical & physical oceanography degree recipients from University Of California Santa Cruz generally make around $43,362. That is a strong return on a $20,833 median debt. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
