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2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

375 Ranked Colleges
32,457 Degrees Awarded
$5,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

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 “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 32,457 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 375 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the physical sciences program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The physical sciences 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 “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 114 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

MIT did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for MIT is $1,820 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

#2

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 44 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

Northwestern also took the #4 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $3,995 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The 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. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Northwestern University

#3

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#10 in overall quality

Out of the 375 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #3 spot on the list. Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 67 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Stanford has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford University is $1,145 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The 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 Physical Sciences at Stanford University

#4

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#9 in overall quality

Out of the 375 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 96 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UPenn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $4,833 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Pennsylvania.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UPenn Physical Sciences Report

#5

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#13 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 112 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

Harvard not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $1,010 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Harvard.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Harvard University

#6

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

University of Chicago ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 145 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $2,800 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full UChicago Physical Sciences Report

#6 in overall quality

Columbia University in the City of New York ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 80 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $4,287 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Columbia University in the City of New York.

The impressive 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. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, 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 95%.

Full Columbia Physical Sciences Report

#8

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Princeton University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Princeton University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Princeton, New Jersey. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 86 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Princeton has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $2,044 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Princeton University.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Princeton

#16 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 238 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also took the #16 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $6,860 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Madison

#10

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#14 in overall quality

Cornell University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Cornell is located in Ithaca, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 132 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

Cornell did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $7,518 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cornell.

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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Cornell University Physical Sciences Report

#11

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire
#2 in overall quality

Dartmouth College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Hanover, New Hampshire, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 47 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dartmouth, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dartmouth College is $4,830 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Dartmouth Physical Sciences Report

#12

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan
#17 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 140 students in 2019-2020.

U-M also took the #17 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $5,887 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at U-M

#13

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland
#22 in overall quality

Johns Hopkins University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Johns Hopkins is located in Baltimore, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 42 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

Johns Hopkins did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Johns Hopkins University is $8,210 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low 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 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%.

Full Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences Report

#14

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island
Top 20% in overall quality

Brown University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 73 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Brown also did well on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Brown University is $6,684 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Full Brown University Physical Sciences Report

#15

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts
#11 in overall quality

Northeastern University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Northeastern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 72 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Northeastern has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern is $12,823 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Northeastern Physical Sciences Report

#16

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Florida landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UF is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 236 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UF is $4,069 for bachelor’s degree 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 student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Florida

#17

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Top 10% in overall quality

Wake Forest University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Wake Forest University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 36 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wake Forest University excels when it comes to physical sciences quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $5,981 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wake Forest University.

The school has an impressive 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 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Wake Forest University

#18

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Top 10% in overall quality

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 219 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UNC Chapel Hill is also in the top of our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $6,063 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Physical Sciences Report

#19

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
Top 25% in overall quality

Vanderbilt University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Vanderbilt is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Nashville, Tennessee. It awarded 38 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt is $6,017 for bachelor’s degree 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 96%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low 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%.

Full Vanderbilt University Physical Sciences Report

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a public institution located in Edinburg, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 52 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is $3,473 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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 Physical Sciences at UT Rio Grande Valley

#21

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts
Top 10% in overall quality

Wellesley College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 43 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, Wellesley is in the top on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $4,519 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wellesley.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%.

Full Wellesley Physical Sciences Report

#22

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
Top 20% in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school awarded 152 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

Purdue also claimed a top spot on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. It costs about $5,879 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Purdue.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, 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 93%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Purdue University - Main Campus

#22

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts
Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, Williams College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Williamstown, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 74 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $2,223 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Williams College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Williams

#24

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Top 15% in overall quality

Boston College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #24. This fairly large school is located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston College excels when it comes to physical sciences quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $8,951 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Boston College.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Boston College

Top 10% in overall quality

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 309 students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UIUC also did well on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UIUC is $8,464 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at UIUC

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
#29

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California
#30

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#31

Hunter College

New York, New York
#32

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#33

The City College of New York

New York, New York
#35

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#36

University of Wyoming

Laramie, Wyoming
#40

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#41

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#43

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#44

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#46

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia
#48

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida
#49

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

La Crosse, Wisconsin
#50

St Olaf College

Northfield, Minnesota

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA
52 University of North Texas Denton, TX
53 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC
54 Florida International University Miami, FL
55 University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA
56 Dalton State College Dalton, GA
57 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL

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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