by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Physics is the 68th most popular major in the country with 13,674 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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 the Plains States region, there were 711 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $55,327 and $23,299 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 74 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $55,401 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region” ranking analyzed 20 colleges that offered a degree in physics. That schools that top this list have a program in physics in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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 “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region”.
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. 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.
The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region master’s degree physics students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region. SD Mines is a small public school situated in Rapid City, South Dakota. It awarded 2 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of South Dakota. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region. Vermillion, South Dakota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region list. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a medium-sized school located in Duluth, Minnesota that handed out 5 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region. Lincoln, Nebraska is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington University in St Louis. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region. WUSTL is a fairly large school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 8 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate 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.
With a ranking of #6, Wichita State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region list. WSU is a fairly large school located in Wichita, Kansas that handed out 4 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
North Dakota State University - Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region ranking. North Dakota State University is a public institution located in Fargo, North Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a public institution located in Mankato, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.
With a ranking of #9, University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region list. UMKC is located in Kansas City, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 masters’s physics degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physics at University of Missouri - Kansas City
Creighton University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.
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%. 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 ranking of #11, University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region list. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Physics at University of Missouri - Columbia
University of North Dakota did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12. UND is a fairly large school located in Grand Forks, North Dakota that handed out 2 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
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%.
Iowa State University ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region list. Iowa State University is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 masters’s physics degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 undergraduate students.
Pittsburg State University ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region list. Pittsburg, Kansas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region ranking. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 7 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, 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 93%.
Read more about Physics at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Kansas State University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Kansas State University is a public institution located in Manhattan, Kansas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #17. UMSL is a fairly large school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 1 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%.
With a ranking of #18, University of Iowa did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region list. Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of Kansas did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #19. University of Kansas is a large public school situated in Lawrence, Kansas. It awarded 2 masters’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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #20, Missouri University of Science and Technology did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major in the Plains States Region list. Rolla, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Physics at Missouri University of Science and Technology
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