2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k
21
Ranked Colleges
8,381
Degrees Awarded
$9,300
Avg Net Price*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Physical Sciences is the 19th most popular major in the country with 50,306 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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.
Across California, there were 8,381 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $43,416 and $18,590 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 21 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in physical sciences. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality physical sciences programs that also have a lower cost than 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 the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest 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 in California For Those Making $30-$48k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k.
Top 21 Best Value Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in California
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 in California For Those Making $30-$48k. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 243 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Stanford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Stanford is $1,581 for California 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 86%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 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 more about Physical Sciences at Stanford University
Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. This small school is located in Pasadena, California, and it awarded 143 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Caltech, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Caltech is $12,190 for california 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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 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 California Institute of Technology
Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #3 spot on the list. UC Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 560 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Berkeley also made our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $9,999 for california physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of California - Berkeley
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UCLA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 371 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCLA is $9,891 for california 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at University of California - Los Angeles
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - San Diego. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in La Jolla, California, this large public school awarded 598 diplomas to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $11,176 for california physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Physical Sciences at UCSD
California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 63 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal State LA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Los Angeles is $2,701 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Cal State LA Physical Sciences Report
University of California - Irvine ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physical sciences degrees to 367 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Irvine, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Irvine is $8,449 for california 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 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of California - Irvine
University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. This large school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 400 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSB, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Santa Barbara is $11,606 for california physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Physical Sciences at University of California - Santa Barbara
With a ranking of #9, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 270 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $11,598 for california physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad 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%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at University of California - Davis
California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 120 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
CSULB also took the #13 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSULB is $7,573 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full CSULB Physical Sciences Report
California State University - Fullerton came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Fullerton is a large public school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 93 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal State Fullerton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fullerton is $5,821 for california 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 89%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at Cal State Fullerton
University of California - Riverside landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school handed out 225 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
UCR did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCR is $8,193 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at UCR
With a ranking of #13, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. San Diego State University is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 167 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
SDSU also took the #10 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $9,274 for California 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 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at SDSU
University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Santa Cruz, California, and it awarded 343 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Santa Cruz also took the #9 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Santa Cruz is $12,049 for california physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Full University of California - Santa Cruz Physical Sciences Report
With a ranking of #15, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cal Poly Pomona is a large school located in Pomona, California that handed out 131 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly Pomona also made our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $12,992 for california 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 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
With a ranking of #16, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. California State University - Sacramento is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 80 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Sac State also took the #17 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,055 for california physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Sac State.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at California State University - Sacramento
California State University - San Bernardino ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in San Bernardino, California, and it awarded 61 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, CSUSB has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSUSB is $6,613 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at CSUSB
California State University - Northridge landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Northridge is a public institution located in Northridge, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 83 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUN, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $7,103 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Northridge.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at California State University - Northridge
University of California - Merced ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Merced, California, and it awarded 92 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Merced also made our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for UC Merced is $11,400 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of California - Merced Physical Sciences Report
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is located in San Luis Obispo, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 120 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also made our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $13,194 for california physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 more about Physical Sciences at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
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