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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in Pennsylvania

25 Ranked Colleges
1,642 Degrees Awarded
$16,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k

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 Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Physical Sciences is the 18th most popular major in the country with 52,879 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, physical sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $38,122 and had an average of $22,339 in loans still to pay off.

Across Pennsylvania, there were 2,094 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,911 and $25,396 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,642 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 25 colleges that offer a degree in physical sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent physical sciences programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the physical sciences program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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 Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in Pennsylvania

#1

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 96 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UPenn, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Pennsylvania is $3,181 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at UPenn

#2

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Carnegie Mellon University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 102 students in 2019-2020.

Carnegie Mellon not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $12,542 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Carnegie Mellon.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 Carnegie Mellon Physical Sciences Report

#3

University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg

Greensburg, Pennsylvania
#22 in overall quality

Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg landed the #3 spot on the list. Pitt Greensburg is located in Greensburg, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Pitt Greensburg, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg is $13,700 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg Physical Sciences Report

#4

University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown

Johnstown, Pennsylvania
#17 in overall quality

Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown is a small public school situated in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It awarded 13 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Pitt Johnstown did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Pitt Johnstown is $16,112 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Pitt Johnstown

#5

University of Pittsburgh - Bradford

Bradford, Pennsylvania
#21 in overall quality

Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pittsburgh - Bradford landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Pittsburgh - Bradford is a public institution located in Bradford, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Pitt Bradford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $14,937 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Pittsburgh - Bradford.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Pittsburgh - Bradford

#6

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
#5 in overall quality

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school handed out 42 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

SRU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend SRU is $14,088 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

#3 in overall quality

University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is a large school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that handed out 172 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Pitt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $20,075 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Physical Sciences Report

#8

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Edinboro, Pennsylvania
#18 in overall quality

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, this small public school awarded 20 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

Edinboro not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $13,169 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Edinboro.

Full Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Physical Sciences Report

#9

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, Pennsylvania
#8 in overall quality

West Chester University of Pennsylvania came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a fairly large school located in West Chester, Pennsylvania that handed out 61 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

WCUPA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for WCUPA is $16,531 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at WCUPA

#10

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
#11 in overall quality

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania is located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 66 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

Bloomsburg also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend Bloomsburg is $15,638 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Bloomsburg Physical Sciences Report

#11

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
#10 in overall quality

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is a public institution located in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

East Stroudsburg University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for East Stroudsburg University is $16,975 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania Physical Sciences Report

#12

Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville, Pennsylvania
#6 in overall quality

Millersville University of Pennsylvania ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Millersville, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school handed out 69 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

Millersville also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $16,878 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Millersville University of Pennsylvania.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Millersville University of Pennsylvania

#13

York College of Pennsylvania

York, Pennsylvania
#12 in overall quality

York College of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. York College of Pennsylvania is located in York, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, YCP has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $16,618 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend York College of Pennsylvania.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full YCP Physical Sciences Report

#14

Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Temple University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Temple is a large public school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 101 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Temple has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Temple is $18,315 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Temple

#15

Allegheny College

Meadville, Pennsylvania
#13 in overall quality

Allegheny College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Meadville, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 29 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

Allegheny did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Allegheny College is $16,221 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive 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 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 full report on Physical Sciences at Allegheny

#16

Lock Haven University

Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
#15 in overall quality

Lock Haven University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

LHU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend LHU is $16,690 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Lock Haven University Physical Sciences Report

#17

Clarion University of Pennsylvania

Clarion, Pennsylvania
#19 in overall quality

Clarion University of Pennsylvania ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Clarion, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Clarion University also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend Clarion University of Pennsylvania is $16,235 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Clarion University

#18

California University of Pennsylvania

California, Pennsylvania
#23 in overall quality

California University of Pennsylvania ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. California University of Pennsylvania is a medium-sized school located in California, Pennsylvania that handed out 16 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cal U is $14,841 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Cal U Physical Sciences Report

#19

La Roche University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#14 in overall quality

La Roche University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. La Roche University is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

La Roche also took the #14 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for La Roche is $15,122 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at La Roche

#20

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown, Pennsylvania
#16 in overall quality

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Kutztown University has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $17,384 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.

Full Kutztown University Physical Sciences Report

#25 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology is a small school located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania that handed out 1 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #25. It costs about $13,369 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology

#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Indiana, Pennsylvania is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 25 students in 2019-2020.

IUP not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend IUP is $18,177 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full IUP Physical Sciences Report

#23

Lebanon Valley College

Annville, Pennsylvania
#7 in overall quality

Lebanon Valley College landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. LVC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Annville, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

LVC also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $22,993 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Lebanon Valley College.

The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Lebanon Valley College

#24

Drexel University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#4 in overall quality

Drexel University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 39 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Drexel has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $25,234 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Drexel University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. 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%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Drexel

#25

Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
#24 in overall quality

Wilkes University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 19 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

Wilkes did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wilkes is $21,491 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Wilkes Physical Sciences Report

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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 NASA.

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