by our College Data Analytics Team
[Physics](/majors/physical-sciences/physics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong physics education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for physics students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physics, balancing cost against outcomes.
University Of Delaware tops our 2026 list of the best value physics schools in Delaware. Set in the suburb of Newark, University Of Delaware is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,810, while out-of-state students pay about $41,400. Physics graduates carry a median of $26,572 in student loans. Early-career physics graduates make about $52,741. Set against $26,572 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 71%.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.