College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Colleges for Physics (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region

51 Ranked Colleges
2,030 Degrees Awarded
$8,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Physics is the 68th most popular major in the country with 13,674 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, physics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $42,960 and had an average of $22,756 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southeast region, there were 2,030 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,858 and $23,908 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 51 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in physics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent physics programs, but they also cost less that 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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Physics Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our 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 in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Physics (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UNC Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 57 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southeast region physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $3,753 for Southeast Region Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Physics Report

2
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Florida is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 58 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.

UF also made our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $65 for southeast region physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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%.

Read more about Physics at UF

3
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wake Forest University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wake Forest University is a medium-sized school located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that handed out 17 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Wake Forest University also made our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $10,401 for southeast region physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wake Forest University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Wake Forest University Physics Report

4
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Out of the 51 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Florida State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 62 students in 2020-2021.

Florida State also made our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Florida State University is $4,950 for southeast region physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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%.

Full Florida State Physics Report

5
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

Out of the 51 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, William & Mary landed the #5 spot on the list. Williamsburg, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 38 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at William & Mary, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $5,972 for Southeast Region 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%. 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 full report on Physics at William & Mary

6
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Charlottesville, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 59 students in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Virginia - Main Campus is $12,476 for southeast region physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Virginia - Main Campus Physics Report

6

University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. This large school is located in Tampa, Florida, and it awarded 48 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, USF Tampa has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $4,176 for Southeast Region Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus.

The school has an impressive undergrad 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 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of South Florida - Main Campus Physics Report

8
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 60 degrees to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, NC State has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NC State is $7,283 for Southeast Region Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physics at NC State

9
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Georgia is a public institution located in Athens, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 19 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UGA also took the #11 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UGA is $8,303 for Southeast Region 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 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at UGA

10

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this large public school handed out 60 diplomas to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

Georgia Tech also made our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for Georgia Tech is $8,818 for Southeast Region Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Physics at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

11
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #11, Virginia Tech did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Virginia Tech is a large school located in Blacksburg, Virginia that handed out 62 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Virginia Tech also took the #4 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Tech is $11,934 for southeast region physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 Virginia Tech

12

With a ranking of #12, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Baton Rouge, Louisiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 31 students in 2020-2021.

Louisiana State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $11,318 for Southeast Region Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Louisiana State University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 full report on Physics at Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

13

With a ranking of #13, Florida International University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Florida International University is a large school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 49 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $3,196 for southeast region physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Florida International University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, 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 Physics at FIU

14
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. This fairly large school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 24 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Emory, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Emory is $8,538 for Southeast Region Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%.

Full Emory University Physics Report

15
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Boca Raton, Florida, this large public school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

FAU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for FAU is $6,726 for Southeast Region Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physics at Florida Atlantic University

16
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

With a ranking of #16, Appalachian State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Appalachian State is located in Boone, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 45 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.

Appalachian State also made our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for Appalachian State University is $7,354 for southeast region 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 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 Physics at Appalachian State

17
WVU crest
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

West Virginia University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Morgantown, West Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, WVU has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $10,014 for Southeast Region Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend West Virginia University.

Read more about Physics at WVU

18

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a large public school situated in Knoxville, Tennessee. It awarded 58 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

UT Knoxville not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is $10,433 for Southeast Region Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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 UT Knoxville Physics Report

19
NKU crest
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Northern Kentucky University is a fairly large public school situated in Highland Heights, Kentucky. It awarded 11 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $4,632 for southeast region physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northern Kentucky University.

Full NKU Physics Report

20
UNF crest
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida

University of North Florida ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UNF is located in Jacksonville, Florida and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for UNF is $4,367 for Southeast Region Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.

Read more about Physics at UNF

21
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. This large school is located in Greenville, North Carolina, and it awarded 17 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

ECU also took the #21 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend ECU is $11,260 for Southeast Region Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Physics at East Carolina University

22

With a ranking of #22, University of North Carolina at Charlotte did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 35 degrees to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

UNC Charlotte not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Charlotte is $12,751 for southeast region physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 4.4% 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%.

Full UNC Charlotte Physics Report

23
Middle Tennessee State University crest
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee

With a ranking of #23, Middle Tennessee State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Middle Tennessee State University is a large school located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee that handed out 20 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Middle Tennessee State University is $8,763 for Southeast Region Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Physics at Middle Tennessee State University

24
Georgia State crest
Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia

Georgia State University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this large public school handed out 41 degrees to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

Georgia State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Georgia State University is $15,197 for Southeast Region Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Physics at Georgia State University

25

University of South Carolina - Columbia ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Columbia, South Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.

UofSC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Physics Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $12,130 for Southeast Region Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of South Carolina - Columbia.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UofSC Physics Report

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options