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2023 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Materials Sciences

42 Ranked Colleges
144 Degrees Awarded
$34,400 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 658 people earned their degree in materials sciences, making the major the 265th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, materials sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $64,925 and had an average of $26,966 in loans still to pay off.

At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 144 materials sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,260 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major” ranking looked at 42 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in materials sciences. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in materials sciences.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest 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.

Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for doctor’s degree materials science students.

Top 25 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Materials Sciences

1
Norfolk State crest
Norfolk State University
Norfolk, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Norfolk State University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major list. Norfolk State is located in Norfolk, Virginia and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 doctorate’s materials science degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Materials Sciences at Norfolk State University

2

Out of the 42 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Montana Technological University landed the #2 spot on the list. This small school is located in Butte, Montana, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Montana Tech Materials Sciences Report

3
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carnegie Mellon University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major. Carnegie Mellon University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 20 doctorate’s degrees 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 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Carnegie Mellon University Materials Sciences Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Santa Barbara. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major list. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school awarded 18 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s materials science students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Materials Sciences at University of California - Santa Barbara

5
UD crest
University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Delaware. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major list. UD is located in Newark, Delaware and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 doctorate’s materials science degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Materials Sciences at UD

6
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University of South Dakota
Vermillion, South Dakota

University of South Dakota did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Vermillion, South Dakota, this medium-sized public school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s materials science students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 USD Materials Sciences Report

7

University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking, coming in at #7. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 17 doctorate’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Materials Sciences at University of California - Berkeley

8

University of California - Riverside landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking. University of California - Riverside is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 doctorate’s materials science degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UCR Materials Sciences Report

9
WUSTL crest
Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

Washington University in St Louis ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major list. WUSTL is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 5 doctorate’s materials 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full WUSTL Materials Sciences Report

10
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #10, Vanderbilt University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major list. Vanderbilt University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 doctorate’s materials science degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 Materials Sciences at Vanderbilt

11
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University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

With a ranking of #11, University of Arkansas did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major list. This large school is located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and it awarded 6 doctorate’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 full report on Materials Sciences at University of Arkansas

12

Stevens Institute of Technology ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major list. Located in Hoboken, New Jersey, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 2 degrees to qualified doctorate’s materials science students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Full Stevens Materials Sciences Report

13

University of New Mexico - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this large public school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s materials science students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Materials Sciences at University of New Mexico - Main Campus

14
University of Rochester crest
University of Rochester
Rochester, New York

University of Rochester did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking, coming in at #14. This fairly large school is located in Rochester, New York, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 impressive undergraduate 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. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Rochester Materials Sciences Report

15
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking, coming in at #15. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 6 doctorate’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Materials Sciences at Michigan State University

16
University at Buffalo crest
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York

University at Buffalo ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major list. University at Buffalo is a large public school situated in Buffalo, New York. It awarded 4 doctorate’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.

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 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 Materials Sciences at University at Buffalo

17

Youngstown State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking. Youngstown State University is a fairly large public school situated in Youngstown, Ohio. It awarded 1 doctorate’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Youngstown State University Materials Sciences Report

18
Central Michigan crest
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking. Located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 2 degrees to qualified doctorate’s materials science students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Materials Sciences at Central Michigan University

19
Oregon State crest
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

Oregon State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking. This large school is located in Corvallis, Oregon, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.

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

Full Oregon State Materials Sciences Report

20
UVM crest
University of Vermont
Burlington, Vermont

University of Vermont landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking. University of Vermont is located in Burlington, Vermont and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 doctorate’s materials science degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Materials Sciences at University of Vermont

21
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

University of Arizona came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking. University of Arizona is located in Tucson, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 doctorate’s materials science degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full University of Arizona Materials Sciences Report

22

Columbia University in the City of New York did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking, coming in at #22. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s materials science degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Columbia University in the City of New York Materials Sciences Report

23
UA crest
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The University of Alabama did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking, coming in at #23. The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 doctorate’s materials science degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Materials Sciences at The University of Alabama

24
Rowan crest
Rowan University
Glassboro, New Jersey

Rowan University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking. Glassboro, New Jersey is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s materials science degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Rowan Materials Sciences Report

25
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Materials Science Major ranking. USC is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 3 doctorate’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Materials Sciences at USC

Notes and References

References

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