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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Rocky Mountains Region

22 Ranked Colleges
1,477 Degrees Awarded
$12,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's in the Rocky Mountains Region 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. 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 a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 52,879 people earned their degree in physical sciences, making the major the 18th most popular in the United States. 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 the Rocky Mountains region, there were 2,198 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,575 and $22,911 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,477 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,111 and $23,874 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 22 colleges that offered 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

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 a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

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 in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k

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

Top 22 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Rocky Mountains Region

#1

University of Wyoming

Laramie, Wyoming
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wyoming landed the #1 spot on the list. Laramie, Wyoming is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 88 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. It costs about $9,200 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wyoming.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UW

#9 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. BYU - I is located in Rexburg, Idaho and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 45 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

BYU - I did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend BYU - I is $3,595 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.

Full BYU - I Physical Sciences Report

#5 in overall quality

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Provo, Utah, and it awarded 75 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

BYU also took the #5 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brigham Young University - Provo is $10,425 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low 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 Brigham Young University - Provo

#4

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Utah landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it awarded 175 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, U of U has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Utah is $13,192 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Utah Physical Sciences Report

#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Colorado Boulder. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Boulder, Colorado, this large public school awarded 239 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

CU - Boulder did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend CU - Boulder is $14,361 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.

Full University of Colorado Boulder Physical Sciences Report

#6

Colorado School of Mines

Golden, Colorado
#2 in overall quality

Colorado School of Mines ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Golden, Colorado, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Mines not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Colorado School of Mines is $17,832 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low 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 Colorado School of Mines

#7

University of Idaho

Moscow, Idaho
#7 in overall quality

University of Idaho did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Moscow, Idaho is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 40 students in 2019-2020.

U of I did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Idaho is $11,735 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at U of I

#6 in overall quality

Colorado State University - Fort Collins did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Colorado State is a large public school situated in Fort Collins, Colorado. It awarded 84 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Colorado State also took the #6 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Colorado State is $11,890 for Rocky Mountains Region 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 85%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Colorado State University - Fort Collins

#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Weber State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. WSU is a public institution located in Ogden, Utah. The school has a large population, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

WSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Weber State University is $10,980 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Physical Sciences at WSU

#10

Utah State University

Logan, Utah
#18 in overall quality

Utah State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Utah State University is a large public school situated in Logan, Utah. It awarded 42 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, USU has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. It costs about $12,034 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Utah State University.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at USU

#13 in overall quality

University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. CU Anschutz is a large school located in Denver, Colorado that handed out 22 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

CU Anschutz did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for CU Anschutz is $12,503 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

#12

Fort Lewis College

Durango, Colorado
#16 in overall quality

Fort Lewis College landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Durango, Colorado, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

FLC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend FLC is $12,909 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Physical Sciences at FLC

#13

The University of Montana

Missoula, Montana
#10 in overall quality

The University of Montana did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. UM is a public institution located in Missoula, Montana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UM, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. It costs about $14,314 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UM.

Full UM Physical Sciences Report

#14

University of Northern Colorado

Greeley, Colorado
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, University of Northern Colorado did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Greeley, Colorado, and it awarded 66 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Northern Colorado did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Northern Colorado is $12,736 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Northern Colorado

#15 in overall quality

Metropolitan State University of Denver came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Metropolitan State University of Denver is located in Denver, Colorado and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 43 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

MSU Denver also took the #15 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Metropolitan State University of Denver is $12,219 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at MSU Denver

#20 in overall quality

Utah Valley University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Orem, Utah, this large public school awarded 34 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UVU, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. It costs about $8,047 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UVU.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Utah Valley University

#17

Western Colorado University

Gunnison, Colorado
#17 in overall quality

Western Colorado University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Western is located in Gunnison, Colorado and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

Western also took the #17 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Western Colorado University is $14,744 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Western

#18

Boise State University

Boise, Idaho
#14 in overall quality

Boise State University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Boise State is located in Boise, Idaho and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 56 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Boise State has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Boise State is $13,146 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Boise State University

#19

Montana State University

Bozeman, Montana
#8 in overall quality

Montana State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Bozeman, Montana, this fairly large public school awarded 70 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

MSU Bozeman did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Montana State University is $16,625 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Montana State University

#21 in overall quality

Montana Technological University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Montana Technological University is a small public school situated in Butte, Montana. It awarded 5 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Montana Tech has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Montana Technological University is $12,562 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Montana Technological University Physical Sciences Report

#21

Colorado Mesa University

Grand Junction, Colorado
#22 in overall quality

Colorado Mesa University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. Grand Junction, Colorado is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

Colorado Mesa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Colorado Mesa University is $13,624 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Colorado Mesa University

#22

Idaho State University

Pocatello, Idaho
#19 in overall quality

Idaho State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Pocatello, Idaho, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

ISU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. It costs about $15,639 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend ISU.

Full ISU 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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