2023 Best Value Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $30-$48k)
256
Ranked Colleges
50,306
Degrees Awarded
$6,500
Avg Net Price*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2020-2021, 50,306 people earned their degree in physical sciences, making the major the 19th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, physical sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $39,880 and had an average of $22,620 in loans still to pay off.
For this year’s “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 256 colleges that offer a degree in physical sciences. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great physical sciences programs and 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
More Ways to Rank Physical Sciences Schools
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our 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.
Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $30-$48k)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 243 diplomas to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
Stanford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” list. It costs about $1,581 for physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Stanford.
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 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at Stanford
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 317 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, UChicago has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,777 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UChicago.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full UChicago Physical Sciences Report
Out of the 256 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #3 spot on the list. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 146 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Northwestern also took the #3 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $917 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergraduate 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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad 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%.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at Northwestern
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Williams College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Williamstown, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s physical sciences degrees to 63 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Williams, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,480 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Williams.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Williams Physical Sciences Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 347 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” list. It costs about $5,670 for physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend U-M.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
With a ranking of #6, California Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Pasadena, California, and it awarded 143 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Caltech also claimed a top spot on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Caltech is $12,190 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Full California Institute of Technology Physical Sciences Report
Johns Hopkins University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Johns Hopkins University is a large school located in Baltimore, Maryland that handed out 244 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Johns Hopkins also made our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $4,859 for physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Johns Hopkins University.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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 Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences Report
With a ranking of #8, Cornell University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 258 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Cornell did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Cornell University is $5,133 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Cornell Physical Sciences Report
University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school handed out 401 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Madison is $4,788 for physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Physical Sciences at UW - Madison
With a ranking of #10, University of Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this large public school handed out 295 diplomas to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on this list, UF is in the top on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend University of Florida is $2,857 for physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 Physical Sciences at UF
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 314 diplomas to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Chapel Hill, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Chapel Hill is $5,729 for physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%.
Full UNC Chapel Hill Physical Sciences Report
With a ranking of #12, Wake Forest University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and it awarded 49 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wake Forest University, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,612 for physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wake Forest University.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at Wake Forest University
University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school awarded 560 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
UC Berkeley also took the #6 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. It costs about $9,999 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Berkeley.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at UC Berkeley
Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 274 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
Purdue also claimed a top spot on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $5,853 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Purdue.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Physical Sciences at Purdue University - Main Campus
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 375 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $8,036 for physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 612 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW Seattle, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. It costs about $6,399 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus Physical Sciences Report
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UMN Twin Cities is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 343 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UMN Twin Cities also took the #13 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMN Twin Cities is $8,609 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
With a ranking of #18, William & Mary did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school situated in Williamsburg, Virginia. It awarded 120 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend William & Mary is $7,507 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 William & Mary Physical Sciences Report
Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 154 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, IU Bloomington is also in the top of our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend IU Bloomington is $7,061 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Physical Sciences at Indiana University - Bloomington
Hunter College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Hunter is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 150 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $2,135 for physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Hunter College.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 full report on Physical Sciences at Hunter College
University of California - Los Angeles came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCLA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 371 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
UCLA also made our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $9,891 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of California - Los Angeles
University of California - San Diego landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCSD is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 598 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCSD is $11,176 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of California - San Diego Physical Sciences Report
Florida State University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school handed out 216 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Florida State is $7,349 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Florida State Physical Sciences Report
Emory University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Emory University is a fairly large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 138 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Emory also took the #24 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,976 for physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Emory.
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 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Physical Sciences at Emory
With a ranking of #25, Middlesex County College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Middlesex County College is a medium-sized school located in Edison, New Jersey that handed out 207 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Middlesex County College is $9,877 for Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Middlesex County College Physical Sciences Report
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