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2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

25 Ranked Colleges
565 Degrees Awarded
$12,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region 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. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 14,123 people earned their degree in physics, making the major the 67th most popular in the United States. 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 the Plains States region, there were 767 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,600 and $24,015 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 565 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 25 colleges that offer a degree in physics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality physics programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the physics program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Physics Schools

The 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 Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

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

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Missouri University of Science and Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This medium-sized school is located in Rolla, Missouri, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, Missouri University of Science and Technology has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology is $10,755 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Missouri University of Science and Technology Physics Report

#2

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 46 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, UMN Twin Cities has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $7,266 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

#17 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Morris. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Morris, Minnesota, this small public school awarded 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

UMN Morris also took the #17 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $4,230 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Minnesota - Morris.

The low 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 Physics at University of Minnesota - Morris

#4

St Olaf College

Northfield, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend St Olaf College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. St. Olaf is a small school located in Northfield, Minnesota that handed out 23 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Olaf, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for St. Olaf is $12,459 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at St Olaf College

#5

Truman State University

Kirksville, Missouri
#9 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Truman State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Truman State is a public institution located in Kirksville, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Truman State, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $7,564 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Truman State University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 Truman State

#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a fairly large public school situated in Duluth, Minnesota. It awarded 10 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Duluth also took the #16 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $7,443 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth.

The low 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 UMN Duluth Physics Report

#7

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
#8 in overall quality

University of Northern Iowa ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UNI is a public institution located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, UNI has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNI is $10,757 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 Physics at University of Northern Iowa

#12 in overall quality

Iowa State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

Iowa State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State University is $10,054 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Physics at Iowa State University

University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Mizzou not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Mizzou is $10,940 for Plains States Region 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 student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Mizzou Physics Report

#10

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas
#6 in overall quality

Kansas State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. K -State is a large public school situated in Manhattan, Kansas. It awarded 21 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, K -State has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for K -State is $14,232 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full Kansas State University Physics Report

#11

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#19 in overall quality

University of Missouri - St Louis came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

UMSL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $7,401 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMSL.

Read full report on Physics at University of Missouri - St Louis

Fort Hays State University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Fort Hays State University is a fairly large public school situated in Hays, Kansas. It awarded 4 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

FHSU also took the #22 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Fort Hays State University is $9,464 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Physics at FHSU

#25 in overall quality

Northwest Missouri State University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Northwest Missouri State University is a public institution located in Maryville, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, Northwest has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $9,990 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northwest Missouri State University.

Read more about Physics at Northwest Missouri State University

#14

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas
#24 in overall quality

Wichita State University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Wichita State University is a fairly large school located in Wichita, Kansas that handed out 7 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

WSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Wichita State University is $11,642 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Wichita State University Physics Report

#15

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri
#21 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Kansas City came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UMKC is located in Kansas City, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMKC, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - Kansas City is $12,065 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Physics at UMKC

#16

Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, Minnesota

Gustavus Adolphus College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Saint Peter, Minnesota, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Gustavus Adolphus also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend Gustavus Adolphus is $12,150 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Gustavus Adolphus College Physics Report

#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is a small school located in Rapid City, South Dakota that handed out 6 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SD Mines, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SD Mines is $15,464 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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 Physics at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Missouri State is a large school located in Springfield, Missouri that handed out 6 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Missouri State also took the #23 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,527 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Missouri State.

Read more about Physics at Missouri State University - Springfield

#19

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas
#15 in overall quality

University of Kansas landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Kansas is located in Lawrence, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, KU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $14,387 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Kansas.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Physics at KU

#20

Hamline University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#13 in overall quality

Hamline University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, Hamline has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Hamline is $17,038 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physics at Hamline University

#21

Concordia College at Moorhead

Moorhead, Minnesota
#7 in overall quality

Concordia College at Moorhead landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Concordia College Moorhead is a small school located in Moorhead, Minnesota that handed out 5 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Concordia College Moorhead also took the #7 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Concordia College Moorhead is $17,881 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low 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%.

Full Concordia College at Moorhead Physics Report

#22

Bethel University Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota

With a ranking of #22, Bethel University Minnesota did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 18 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, Bethel University Minnesota has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bethel University Minnesota is $18,396 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physics at Bethel University Minnesota

#23

Luther College

Decorah, Iowa
#5 in overall quality

Luther College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Luther College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Decorah, Iowa. It awarded 6 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Luther did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Luther College is $16,636 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physics at Luther

#24

Augsburg University

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Augsburg University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Augsburg University is a small school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 3 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Augsburg also took the #18 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Augsburg University is $21,179 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Physics at Augsburg

#25

Creighton University

Omaha, Nebraska
#20 in overall quality

Creighton University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, Creighton has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Creighton University is $24,458 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low 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%.

Read full report on Physics at Creighton

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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

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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