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2023 Best Value Colleges for General Physics (Income $0-$30k) in California

20 Ranked Colleges
3,094 Degrees Awarded
$7,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 12,875 people earned their degree in general physics, making the major the 60th most popular in the United States.

Across California, there were 3,094 general physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 20 colleges that offer a degree in general physics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general physics programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the general physics program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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The general physics 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 “Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k”.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 20 Best Value Colleges for General Physics (Income $0-$30k) in California

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Stanford University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 51 ’s general physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Stanford also made our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford University is $1,233 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about General Physics at Stanford University

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Berkeley. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 197 ’s general physics degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Berkeley is $8,450 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 General Physics at University of California - Berkeley

3

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #3 spot on the list. Caltech is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 52 ’s general physics degrees to qualified students.

Caltech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Caltech is $-539 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about General Physics at California Institute of Technology

4

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #4 spot on the list. University of California - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 123 ’s general physics degrees in 2020-2021.

UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $9,037 for California General Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full University of California - Los Angeles General Physics Report

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - San Diego. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k. University of California - San Diego is a large school located in La Jolla, California that handed out 54 ’s general physics degrees in 2020-2021.

UCSD also took the #5 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,823 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - San Diego.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Physics at University of California - San Diego

6

University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Santa Barbara, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general physics degrees to 199 students in 2020-2021.

UCSB also took the #3 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCSB is $10,568 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about General Physics at UCSB

7

University of California - Irvine ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. UC Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 89 ’s general physics degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Irvine, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Irvine is $6,540 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Irvine General Physics Report

8

California State University - Los Angeles landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cal State LA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 ’s general physics degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, Cal State LA has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal State LA is $1,887 for California General Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Physics at California State University - Los Angeles

9

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. University of California - Davis is a public institution located in Davis, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 74 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Davis, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Davis is $10,006 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, 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 93%.

Read more about General Physics at UC Davis

10

California State University - Long Beach came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 48 ’s general physics degrees in 2020-2021.

CSULB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list. It costs about $6,663 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend CSULB.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about General Physics at CSULB

11

California State University - Fullerton ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school handed out 35 degrees to qualified ’s general physics students in 2020-2021.

Cal State Fullerton also took the #15 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $4,590 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Fullerton.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 Physics at California State University - Fullerton

12

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school awarded 83 degrees to qualified ’s general physics students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCR, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $6,810 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Riverside.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on General Physics at UCR

13
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

With a ranking of #13, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. San Diego State University is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 17 ’s general physics degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SDSU, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $7,169 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend San Diego State University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full San Diego State University General Physics Report

14

University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large public school situated in Santa Cruz, California. It awarded 95 ’s general physics degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, UC Santa Cruz has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Santa Cruz is $11,038 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Read more about General Physics at University of California - Santa Cruz

15

With a ranking of #15, California State University - Northridge did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northridge, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general physics degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, CSUN has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $6,266 for California General Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Northridge.

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%.

Full CSUN General Physics Report

16

With a ranking of #16, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general physics degrees to 37 students in 2020-2021.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also took the #10 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $12,173 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on General Physics at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

17

With a ranking of #17, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Pomona, California, this large public school awarded 25 diplomas to qualified ’s general physics students in 2020-2021.

Cal Poly Pomona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Cal Poly Pomona is $10,349 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. 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 General Physics at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

18

California State University - Sacramento ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general physics degrees to 23 students in 2020-2021.

Sac State also made our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend Sac State is $8,163 for california general physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Read more about General Physics at California State University - Sacramento

19

University of California - Merced came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Merced, California, and it awarded 26 ’s general physics degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Merced did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list. It costs about $10,363 for California General Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UC Merced.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Physics at UC Merced

20
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

Humboldt State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Arcata, California, and it awarded 10 ’s general physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Humboldt State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list. It costs about $11,473 for California General Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Humboldt State University.

Read full report on General Physics at Humboldt State University

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