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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics in Massachusetts (With Aid)

16 Ranked Colleges
461 Degrees Awarded
$25,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor's in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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 Massachusetts, there were 723 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,000 and $21,896 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 461 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,887 and $24,387 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 16 colleges that offered a degree 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.

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 Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid”.

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 Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid.

Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics in Massachusetts (With Aid)

#1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 83 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

MIT not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $16,636 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

#2

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 45 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, Harvard has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Harvard is $15,386 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Physics at Harvard University

#3

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts
#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wellesley College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid. Wellesley is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wellesley, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wellesley also took the #5 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley is $22,087 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about Physics at Wellesley

#10 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Massachusetts - Lowell. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Lowell, Massachusetts, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Lowell also took the #10 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts - Lowell is $19,119 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at University of Massachusetts - Lowell

#5

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, Massachusetts
#15 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Bridgewater State University landed the #5 spot on the list. Bridgewater State University is a fairly large public school situated in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. It awarded 8 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, Bridgewater State has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $18,457 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend Bridgewater State University.

Read more about Physics at Bridgewater State University

#16 in overall quality

University of Massachusetts - Boston came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Boston, Massachusetts 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.

UMass Boston not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $18,340 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend UMass Boston.

Full University of Massachusetts - Boston Physics Report

#7

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. UMass Amherst is a large school located in Amherst, Massachusetts that handed out 51 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMass Amherst, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Amherst is $22,501 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, 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 students.

Full University of Massachusetts Amherst Physics Report

#8

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts
#13 in overall quality

Williams College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Williams College is a small school located in Williamstown, Massachusetts that handed out 11 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, Williams has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Williams College is $19,480 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%.

Full Williams College Physics Report

#9

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts
#2 in overall quality

College of the Holy Cross did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. College of the Holy Cross is a small school located in Worcester, Massachusetts that handed out 13 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Holy Cross not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for College of the Holy Cross is $37,292 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, 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 89%.

Read full report on Physics at College of the Holy Cross

#10

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts
#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Boston University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, Boston U has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Boston University is $30,259 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 Boston University

#11

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts
#8 in overall quality

Wheaton College Massachusetts landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Wheaton College Massachusetts is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Norton, Massachusetts. It awarded 14 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wheaton College Massachusetts, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Massachusetts is $26,809 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

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

Read more about Physics at Wheaton College Massachusetts

#12

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
#7 in overall quality

Boston College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Boston College, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $35,899 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend Boston College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, 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 93%.

Read full report on Physics at Boston College

#13

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts
#12 in overall quality

Smith College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Northampton, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

Smith also took the #12 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Smith College is $28,305 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Physics at Smith

#14

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts
#4 in overall quality

Northeastern University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Northeastern University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern also took the #4 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $31,093 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend Northeastern.

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

Read full report on Physics at Northeastern

#15

Suffolk University

Boston, Massachusetts
#14 in overall quality

Suffolk University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

Suffolk also took the #14 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $30,701 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend Suffolk University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Suffolk Physics Report

#16

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts
#11 in overall quality

Brandeis University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Brandeis University is a medium-sized school located in Waltham, Massachusetts that handed out 11 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Brandeis also took the #11 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brandeis University is $31,165 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Physics at Brandeis

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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