2026 Best Chemical & Physical Oceanography Schools in California
Chemical & Physical Oceanography programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best chemical & physical oceanography schools.
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Best Schools for Chemical & Physical Oceanography in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall chemical & physical oceanography education in California.
Top Schools in Chemical & Physical Oceanography
Leading the list is University Of California Santa Cruz, our #1 school for chemical & physical oceanography. Located in the city of Santa Cruz, University Of California Santa Cruz is a very large public university. Roughly 75% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 16 chemical & physical oceanography degrees were awarded at University Of California Santa Cruz in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, chemical & physical oceanography degree recipients from University Of California Santa Cruz generally make around $43,362. Students borrow a median of $20,833 to complete this degree.
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University Of California San Diego came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best chemical & physical oceanography schools. Located in the city of La Jolla, University Of California San Diego is a very large public university. About 86% of students finish within six years. University Of California San Diego awarded about 43 chemical & physical oceanography degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, chemical & physical oceanography degree recipients from University Of California San Diego generally make around $79,645. Typical student debt for the program is $17,101.
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Students looking for a strong chemical & physical oceanography program will find one at Humboldt State University, which ranked #3. Humboldt State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Arcata. About 49% of students finish within six years. About 11 chemical & physical oceanography degrees were awarded at Humboldt State University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, chemical & physical oceanography degree recipients from Humboldt State University generally make around $29,476. Students borrow a median of $20,526 to complete this degree.
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More Chemical & Physical Oceanography Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 10 schools evaluated.
- 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.
