Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts

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

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts” ranking.

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 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” ranking looked at 16 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.

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 Massachusetts”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts

The colleges and universities below are the best for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students.

Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics in Massachusetts

#10 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Massachusetts - Lowell. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts. Located in Lowell, Massachusetts, this fairly large public school handed out 20 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

UMass Lowell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts - Lowell is $19,119 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students.

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

Full UMass Lowell Physics Report

#2

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Massachusetts Amherst landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, and it awarded 51 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students list, UMass Amherst has also earned the #9 rank 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.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at University of Massachusetts Amherst

#3

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 that were part of this year’s ranking, Bridgewater State University landed the #3 spot on the list. Bridgewater, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.

Bridgewater State also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend Bridgewater State is $18,457 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students.

Read more about Physics at Bridgewater State University

#16 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Massachusetts - Boston. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. UMass Boston is a public institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Boston also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts - Boston is $18,340 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students.

Read full report on Physics at UMass Boston

#5

Suffolk University

Boston, Massachusetts
#14 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts that were part of this year’s ranking, Suffolk University landed the #5 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Suffolk not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $30,701 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Physics students per year to attend Suffolk.

The low student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 more about Physics at Suffolk University

#6

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts
#13 in overall quality

Williams College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Williams College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It awarded 11 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Williams also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for Williams is $19,480 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.

Read more about Physics at Williams

#7

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 83 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

MIT also took the #1 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology is $16,636 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Physics at MIT

#8

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts
#2 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, College of the Holy Cross did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Worcester, 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.

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.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Read full report on Physics at College of the Holy Cross

#9

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts
#8 in overall quality

Wheaton College Massachusetts did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #9. Wheaton College Massachusetts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Norton, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Massachusetts not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Massachusetts is $26,809 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Wheaton College Massachusetts Physics Report

#10

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#3 in overall quality

Harvard University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. This large school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 45 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Harvard, the school also landed the #3 spot 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.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 Harvard

#11

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts
#4 in overall quality

Northeastern University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern also took the #4 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern University is $31,093 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 Northeastern Physics Report

#12

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts
#12 in overall quality

Smith College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Smith is located in Northampton, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

Smith also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend Smith College is $28,305 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Physics students.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physics at Smith

#13

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts
#11 in overall quality

Brandeis University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Brandeis is located in Waltham, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

Brandeis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $31,165 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students per year to attend Brandeis University.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, 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 90%.

Read full report on Physics at Brandeis

#14

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts
#6 in overall quality

Boston University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston U also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Boston University is $30,259 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Physics students.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. 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%.

Read more about Physics at Boston U

#15

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 ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students list, Boston College has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $35,899 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students per year to attend Boston College.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at Boston College

#16

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Wellesley College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Wellesley College 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 did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $22,087 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree physics students per year to attend Wellesley.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physics at Wellesley

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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

Featured Physical Sciences Schools

Find Schools Near You