2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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 California, there were 3,131 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,486 and $19,317 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,177 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking, we looked at 30 colleges that offer a degree 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.
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.
Featured schools near , edit
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California
The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree physics students.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics in California
Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Long Beach landed the #1 spot on the list. California State University - Long Beach is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 53 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSULB, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSULB is $9,622 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physics students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Physics at California State University - Long Beach
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - San Marcos. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. San Marcos, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.
CSUSM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend CSUSM is $13,399 for california bachelor’s degree physics students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - San Marcos Physics Report
Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school handed out 161 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.
UCSB also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $15,884 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physics students per year to attend UCSB.
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 91%.
Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #4 spot on the list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 64 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Los Angeles is $14,279 for california bachelor’s degree physics students.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 University of California - Los Angeles
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Located in San Luis Obispo, California, this large public school handed out 38 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $21,595 for california bachelor’s degree physics students.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.
California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #6. California State University - Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal State Fullerton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Cal State Fullerton is $7,991 for california bachelor’s degree physics students.
The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
With a ranking of #6, California State University - Channel Islands did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. CSUCI is a medium-sized public school situated in Camarillo, California. It awarded 13 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree physics students list, CSUCI has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSUCI is $13,558 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physics students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #8, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is located in Pomona, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.
Cal Poly Pomona also took the #15 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $12,734 for california bachelor’s degree physics students.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
University of California - Berkeley ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school awarded 135 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.
UC Berkeley also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend UC Berkeley is $15,329 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physics students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%.
With a ranking of #10, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. California State University - Sacramento is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.
Sac State also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #19. It costs about $9,979 for california bachelor’s degree physics students per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Sacramento Physics Report
University of California - San Diego came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. University of California - San Diego is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 78 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
UCSD also took the #7 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - San Diego is $14,232 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physics students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.
Read full report on Physics at University of California - San Diego
University of California - Riverside landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 38 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
UCR also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $12,871 for california bachelor’s degree physics students per year to attend University of California - Riverside.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physics at University of California - Riverside
With a ranking of #13, California State University - Chico did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Chico State is a fairly large public school situated in Chico, California. It awarded 13 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
Chico State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Chico is $15,017 for california bachelor’s degree physics students.
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%.
San Francisco State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school awarded 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.
SFSU also took the #20 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Francisco State University is $15,113 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physics students.
San Diego State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #15. San Diego State University is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SDSU, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $14,788 for california bachelor’s degree physics students.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 ranking of #16, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. UC Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 46 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree physics students list, UC Davis has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,669 for california bachelor’s degree physics students per year to attend UC Davis.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on Physics at University of California - Davis
University of California - Irvine came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. University of California - Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 55 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.
UC Irvine also took the #9 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Irvine is $14,783 for california bachelor’s degree physics students.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%.
California State University - San Bernardino did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #18. CSUSB is located in San Bernardino, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.
CSUSB also took the #25 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSUSB is $7,342 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physics students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Read more about Physics at California State University - San Bernardino
California State University - Los Angeles came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Cal State LA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large 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 Cal State LA, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal State LA is $2,768 for california bachelor’s degree physics students.
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%.
Full California State University - Los Angeles Physics Report
With a ranking of #20, California State University - Bakersfield did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. CSUB is located in Bakersfield, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.
CSUB also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for CSUB is $5,318 for california bachelor’s degree physics students.
University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #21. University of California - Santa Cruz is a fairly large public school situated in Santa Cruz, California. It awarded 43 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Santa Cruz, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $18,186 for california bachelor’s degree physics students per year to attend University of California - Santa Cruz.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
With a ranking of #22, Humboldt State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Humboldt State University is located in Arcata, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Humboldt State University is $14,692 for california bachelor’s degree physics students.
With a ranking of #23, California State University - East Bay did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. California State University - East Bay is located in Hayward, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $11,116 for california bachelor’s degree physics students per year to attend Cal State East Bay.
California State University - Stanislaus landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. California State University - Stanislaus is a fairly large school located in Turlock, California that handed out 11 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $6,019 for california bachelor’s degree physics students per year to attend California State University - Stanislaus.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
California State University - Fresno came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Fresno State is a large school located in Fresno, California that handed out 6 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $5,464 for california bachelor’s degree physics students per year to attend Fresno State.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, 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 87%.
Focus on a Specific Degree Level
- Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics in the Far Western US Region
- Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics
Switch to a More General Major
Switch to a Similar Major
General Physical Sciences
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for General Physical Sciences in California
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology in California
Geological & Earth Sciences
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geological & Earth Sciences in California
Other Physical Science
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Other Physical Science in California
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
Best Physics Bachelor's Degree Schools in California
Physics students in the state of California
Most Focused Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physics in California
Physics students in California
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Online Physics Schools
Physics students in California
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physics (Income $0-$30k) in California
Physics students with family income less than $30k in California
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physics (Income $48-$75k) in California
Physics students with family income $48-$75k in California
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physics (Income Over $110k) in California
Physics students with family income exceeding $110k in California
Highest Paid Bachelor's Degree Physics Graduates in California
Physics students in California
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physics in California
Physics students in California
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physics in California (With Aid)
Physics students getting aid in California
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physics (Income $30-$48k) in California
Physics students with family income $30-$48k in California
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physics (Income $75-$110k) in California
Physics students with family income $75-$110k in California
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Physics in California
Physics students in California
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.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to A. T. Service.
Featured Physical Sciences Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More > |
College Factual provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© College Factual – All Rights Reserved.
_main_lecture_hall_1972.jpg){kind=link}