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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics (Income $0-$30k) in Virginia

11 Ranked Colleges
308 Degrees Awarded
$12,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor's in Virginia 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 has developed its “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Physics is the 67th most popular major in the country with 14,123 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, physics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $42,475 and had an average of $22,421 in loans still to pay off.

Across Virginia, there were 406 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,100 and $25,999 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 308 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 11 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in physics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality physics programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the physics program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 11 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics (Income $0-$30k) in Virginia

#1

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, William & Mary landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Williamsburg, Virginia, this medium-sized public school awarded 29 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, William & Mary has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. It costs about $4,711 for virginia bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend William & Mary.

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

Read more about Physics at William & Mary

#2

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Virginia is a public institution located in Charlottesville, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Virginia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus is $8,882 for virginia bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Physics at University of Virginia - Main Campus

#3

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Virginia Tech landed the #3 spot on the list. Virginia Tech is a large school located in Blacksburg, Virginia that handed out 75 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Virginia Tech also took the #2 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $11,138 for virginia bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Virginia Tech Physics Report

#4

Virginia Military Institute

Lexington, Virginia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Virginia Military Institute. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k. Lexington, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

VMI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Military Institute is $8,789 for virginia bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full VMI Physics Report

#5

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend James Madison University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k. James Madison University is a large school located in Harrisonburg, Virginia that handed out 13 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

JMU also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend JMU is $14,196 for virginia bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full James Madison University Physics Report

#6

Radford University

Radford, Virginia

Radford University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Radford, Virginia, this fairly large public school awarded 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

Radford also took the #10 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. It costs about $12,071 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Radford University.

Read more about Physics at Radford University

Virginia Commonwealth University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Richmond, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 38 students in 2019-2020.

VCU also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $16,768 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Virginia Commonwealth University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at VCU

#8

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia
#8 in overall quality

George Mason University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k list. GMU is a large public school situated in Fairfax, Virginia. It awarded 13 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

GMU also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $16,204 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend George Mason University.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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%.

Full George Mason University Physics Report

#9

University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg, Virginia
#9 in overall quality

University of Mary Washington did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. University of Mary Washington is a small public school situated in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It awarded 6 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMW, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMW is $12,988 for Virginia Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% 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%.

Read more about Physics at UMW

#10

Bridgewater College

Bridgewater, Virginia

Bridgewater College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. This small school is located in Bridgewater, Virginia, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Bridgewater also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $14,220 for virginia bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Bridgewater.

Read more about Physics at Bridgewater

#11

Roanoke College

Salem, Virginia
#7 in overall quality

Roanoke College landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Virginia For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Roanoke is located in Salem, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

Roanoke also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Roanoke is $17,473 for virginia bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 more about Physics at Roanoke College

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

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees 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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