2023 Most Popular Colleges for Materials Sciences
59
Ranked Colleges
658
Degrees Awarded
$35,300
Avg Cost*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Well Attended Materials Science Major” ranking.
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.
This year’s “Most Well Attended Materials Science Major” ranking looked at 59 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in materials sciences. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in materials sciences.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
The materials 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 “Most Well Attended Materials Science Major”.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Most Well Attended Materials Science Major
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Materials Science Major”.
Top 28 Most Popular Colleges for Materials Sciences
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Carnegie Mellon University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Science Major list. This fairly large school is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 105 ’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Materials Sciences at Carnegie Mellon
Out of the 59 schools in the Most Well Attended Materials Science Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #2 spot on the list. UC Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 74 ’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.
Full University of California - Berkeley Materials Sciences Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia University in the City of New York. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Science Major list. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 40 ’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Columbia University in the City of New York Materials Sciences Report
Out of the 59 schools in the Most Well Attended Materials Science Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Arizona landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Tucson, Arizona, and it awarded 27 ’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.
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 Arizona
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University at Buffalo. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Materials Science Major. University at Buffalo is a large public school situated in Buffalo, New York. It awarded 27 ’s materials 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Materials Sciences at University at Buffalo
University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Materials Science Major list. UCSB is a large public school situated in Santa Barbara, California. It awarded 22 ’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, 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 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Materials Sciences at University of California - Santa Barbara
Rochester Institute of Technology landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Science Major ranking. Rochester Institute of Technology is a fairly large school located in Rochester, New York that handed out 19 ’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Rochester Institute of Technology Materials Sciences Report
University of Delaware did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Science Major ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Newark, Delaware, this large public school awarded 17 diplomas to qualified ’s materials science students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, 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 90%.
Read more about Materials Sciences at UD
With a ranking of #9, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Science Major list. University of California - Riverside is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 ’s materials science degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Materials Sciences at UCR
With a ranking of #9, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Science Major list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials science degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, 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 96%.
Read full report on Materials Sciences at UCLA
Missouri State University - Springfield came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Materials Science Major ranking. Missouri State is a public institution located in Springfield, Missouri. The school has a large population, and it awarded 12 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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%.
Read full report on Materials Sciences at Missouri State University - Springfield
University of Southern California ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended Materials Science Major list. University of Southern California is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 12 ’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%. 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Full University of Southern California Materials Sciences Report
University of Arkansas ranked #13 on this year’s Most Well Attended Materials Science Major list. Located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, this large public school handed out 11 degrees to qualified ’s materials science students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of Arkansas Materials Sciences Report
Stevens Institute of Technology ranked #13 on this year’s Most Well Attended Materials Science Major list. Hoboken, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s materials science degrees to 11 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Stevens Materials Sciences Report
Michigan State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Materials Science Major ranking. Michigan State University is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 11 ’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 more about Materials Sciences at Michigan State University
University of Rochester came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Materials Science Major ranking. University of Rochester is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Rochester, New York. It awarded 10 ’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.
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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.
Read more about Materials Sciences at University of Rochester
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended Materials Science Major list. UW - Eau Claire is a fairly large public school situated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It awarded 9 ’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Materials Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
William Paterson University of New Jersey came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Materials Science Major ranking. William Paterson University of New Jersey is a public institution located in Wayne, New Jersey. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.
Read more about Materials Sciences at William Paterson University of New Jersey
With a ranking of #19, Wayne State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Science Major list. This large school is located in Detroit, Michigan, and it awarded 8 ’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Materials Sciences at Wayne State University
With a ranking of #19, University of New Mexico - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Science Major list. Albuquerque, New Mexico is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials science degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Materials Sciences at UNM
Oregon State University ranked #21 on this year’s Most Well Attended Materials Science Major list. Located in Corvallis, Oregon, this large public school handed out 7 degrees to qualified ’s materials science students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, 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%.
Full Oregon State Materials Sciences Report
Duke University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Science Major ranking, coming in at #21. This fairly large school is located in Durham, North Carolina, and it awarded 7 ’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Materials Sciences at Duke University
Washington University in St Louis landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Science Major ranking. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s materials science degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read full report on Materials Sciences at Washington University in St Louis
University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Materials Science Major ranking. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez is a fairly large public school situated in Mayaguez, . It awarded 6 ’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Materials Sciences at UPR Mayaguez
Vanderbilt University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Science Major ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified ’s materials science students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%.
Read more about Materials Sciences at Vanderbilt University
With a ranking of #25, Florida State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Science Major list. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified ’s materials science students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read more about Materials Sciences at Florida State
Catholic University of America landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Science Major ranking. Catholic University of America is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Washington, District of Columbia. It awarded 5 ’s materials science degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Catholic University of America Materials Sciences Report
Norfolk State University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Science Major ranking. Norfolk, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials science degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Materials Sciences at Norfolk State University
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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