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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

25 Ranked Colleges
565 Degrees Awarded
$13,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 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.

This year’s “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 25 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in physics. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great physics programs and cost less that 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. 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 $30-$48k”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

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 $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

#17 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Morris. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Minnesota - Morris is a small public school situated in Morris, Minnesota. It awarded 5 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k list, UMN Morris has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $3,435 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UMN Morris.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physics at UMN Morris

#2

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 46 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $8,418 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. 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 UMN Twin Cities

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 #3 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Missouri University of Science and Technology is located in Rolla, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Missouri University of Science and Technology, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $10,660 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology.

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%.

Read full report on Physics at Missouri University of Science and Technology

#4

St Olaf College

Northfield, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend St Olaf College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. St. Olaf is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northfield, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Olaf did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend St. Olaf is $12,276 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

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 $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Kirksville, Missouri, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Truman State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $8,269 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Truman State.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Truman State Physics Report

#16 in overall quality

University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a fairly large school located in Duluth, Minnesota that handed out 10 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k list, UMN Duluth has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Duluth is $7,992 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Read full report on Physics at UMN Duluth

#7

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#19 in overall quality

University of Missouri - St Louis landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large public school awarded 8 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

UMSL also took the #19 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - St Louis is $6,838 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Physics at UMSL

University of Missouri - Columbia came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Mizzou did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - Columbia is $11,595 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Mizzou Physics Report

#12 in overall quality

Iowa State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Iowa State is a large public school situated in Ames, Iowa. It awarded 17 bachelors’s physics degrees 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 estimated yearly cost for Iowa State University is $10,843 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Iowa State Physics Report

#10

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
#8 in overall quality

University of Northern Iowa did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. This medium-sized school is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNI has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNI is $12,495 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Full University of Northern Iowa Physics Report

#11

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas
#6 in overall quality

Kansas State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. K -State is a large public school situated in Manhattan, Kansas. It awarded 21 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

K -State also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for Kansas State University is $15,089 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 more about Physics at K -State

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 $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Hays, Kansas, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at FHSU, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Fort Hays State University is $9,882 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full FHSU Physics Report

#25 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Northwest Missouri State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Maryville, Missouri, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k 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 $9,863 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northwest Missouri State University.

Full Northwest Physics Report

#14

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas
#24 in overall quality

Wichita State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. WSU is located in Wichita, Kansas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

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 WSU is $12,543 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Physics at WSU

#10 in overall quality

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. SD Mines is located in Rapid City, South Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

SD Mines also took 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 $16,644 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

#16

Concordia College at Moorhead

Moorhead, Minnesota
#7 in overall quality

Concordia College at Moorhead landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Concordia College Moorhead is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Moorhead, Minnesota. It awarded 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 estimated yearly cost for Concordia College Moorhead is $17,927 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at Concordia College Moorhead

#17

Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, Minnesota

Gustavus Adolphus College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. This small school is located in Saint Peter, Minnesota, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k list, Gustavus Adolphus has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Gustavus Adolphus is $11,669 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, 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 88%.

Full Gustavus Adolphus Physics Report

#18

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas
#15 in overall quality

University of Kansas ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Kansas is a public institution located in Lawrence, Kansas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k list, KU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for KU is $15,380 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, 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 $30-$48k list. Missouri State is located in Springfield, Missouri and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

Missouri State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $13,488 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Missouri State.

Read full report on Physics at Missouri State University - Springfield

#20

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri
#21 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Kansas City ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Kansas City, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

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. It costs about $12,553 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UMKC.

Full UMKC Physics Report

#21

Hamline University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#13 in overall quality

Hamline University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Hamline is a small school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota that handed out 2 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k list, Hamline has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $18,298 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Hamline University.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 Hamline

#22

Luther College

Decorah, Iowa
#5 in overall quality

Luther College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Decorah, Iowa, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Luther not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Luther is $17,630 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Full Luther College Physics Report

#22

Bethel University Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Bethel University Minnesota came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Bethel University Minnesota is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

Bethel University Minnesota also took the #4 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bethel University Minnesota is $19,525 for plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Bethel University Minnesota Physics Report

#24

Augsburg University

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Augsburg University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k list, Augsburg has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Augsburg is $21,545 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Augsburg University Physics Report

#25

Creighton University

Omaha, Nebraska
#20 in overall quality

Creighton University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Creighton, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $28,108 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Creighton University.

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

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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