2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics in California
58
Ranked Colleges
1,225
Degrees Awarded
$38,153
Avg Salary
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 13,674 people earned their degree in physics, making the major the 68th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, physics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $42,960 and had an average of $22,756 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 3,224 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,268 and $18,506 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,225 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,566 and $21,995 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California” ranking, we looked at 58 colleges that offer a degree in physics. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in physics.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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 “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California”.
Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics in California
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harvey Mudd College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California. Harvey Mudd College is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Physics at Harvey Mudd College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California list. Caltech is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pasadena, California. It awarded 23 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read more about Physics at Caltech
Out of the 58 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Pomona College landed the #3 spot on the list. Pomona is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 15 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Pomona College Physics Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Santa Barbara. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school awarded 151 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 more about Physics at UCSB
Out of the 58 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Occidental College landed the #5 spot on the list. Oxy is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physics at Oxy
Scripps College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking, coming in at #6. Scripps College is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 5 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Scripps College Physics Report
With a ranking of #7, Claremont McKenna College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California list. Claremont McKenna is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 6 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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 Claremont McKenna College
Pitzer College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking. Claremont, California 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 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Pitzer Physics Report
University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking, coming in at #9. UC Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 75 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 UC Santa Cruz Physics Report
University of California - Merced came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Merced, California, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physics at UC Merced
Whittier College ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California list. Whittier, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Whittier College Physics Report
University of California - Berkeley landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking. UC Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 129 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Physics at University of California - Berkeley
Westmont College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking. Santa Barbara, California 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 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Westmont College Physics Report
University of California - Irvine came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking. University of California - Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 93 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad 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 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Physics at University of California - Irvine
University of California - Riverside came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 48 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad 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 UCR
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking, coming in at #16. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%.
Read full report on Physics at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
Stanford University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 28 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physics at Stanford
With a ranking of #18, Sonoma State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California list. SSU is a medium-sized school located in Rohnert Park, California that handed out 13 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad 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 full report on Physics at SSU
With a ranking of #19, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 79 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 University of California - Los Angeles Physics Report
Humboldt State University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking. Humboldt State University is a medium-sized school located in Arcata, California that handed out 10 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Humboldt State University Physics Report
With a ranking of #21, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California list. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 56 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, 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 94%.
Full University of California - San Diego Physics Report
University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking, coming in at #22. University of California - Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 56 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full UC Davis Physics Report
California State University - Chico landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking. Chico State is a fairly large school located in Chico, California that handed out 21 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physics at California State University - Chico
California Lutheran University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking. California Lutheran University is a small school located in Thousand Oaks, California that handed out 6 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad 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%.
Read more about Physics at California Lutheran University
Loyola Marymount University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in California ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%. The undergraduate 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.
Read full report on Physics at Loyola Marymount
college factual
_main_lecture_hall_1972.jpg){kind=link}