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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $75-$110k)

374 Ranked Colleges
32,457 Degrees Awarded
$13,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $75-$110k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking.

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.

For this year’s “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 374 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.

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. 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 a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $75-$110k)

#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 $75-$110k list. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 114 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k list, MIT has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $14,381 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, 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 98%.

Full MIT Physical Sciences Report

#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 $75-$110k. Northwestern is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 44 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern University is $16,784 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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.

Full Northwestern University Physical Sciences Report

#3

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#10 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k. Stanford is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 67 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

Stanford also took the #10 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Stanford University is $10,631 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 low 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Stanford University

#4

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Dartmouth College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. Dartmouth College is a medium-sized school located in Hanover, New Hampshire that handed out 47 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Dartmouth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $14,238 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Dartmouth.

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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Dartmouth College Physical Sciences Report

#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia University in the City of New York. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. Columbia University in the City of New York is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 80 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia University in the City of New York is $18,637 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 Columbia University in the City of New York

#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 $75-$110k list. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 145 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $17,929 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UChicago

#24 in overall quality

Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Rolla, Missouri, this medium-sized public school awarded 68 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

Missouri University of Science and Technology also took the #24 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,060 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#8

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#12 in overall quality

Princeton University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Princeton University is located in Princeton, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 86 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

Princeton also took the #12 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Princeton University is $16,989 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Princeton Physical Sciences Report

#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 $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #9. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 140 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $18,039 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full U-M Physical Sciences Report

#10

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Florida ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 236 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UF is $12,685 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 full report on Physical Sciences at University of Florida

#11

The City College of New York

New York, New York

The City College of New York did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #11. Located in New York, New York, this fairly large public school awarded 47 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend The City College of New York is $9,546 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at The City College of New York

#12

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#8 in overall quality

California Institute of Technology landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. California Institute of Technology is a small school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 50 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k list, Caltech has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $12,788 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California Institute of Technology.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Physical Sciences at California Institute of Technology

#13

Dalton State College

Dalton, Georgia

Dalton State College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Dalton State College is a public institution located in Dalton, Georgia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,632 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend DSC.

Read more about Physical Sciences at DSC

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Edinburg, Texas, and it awarded 52 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,400 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UT Rio Grande Valley.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Brigham Young University - Idaho did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #15. Rexburg, Idaho is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 45 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Brigham Young University - Idaho is $9,850 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Brigham Young University - Idaho

#16

Hunter College

New York, New York

Hunter College landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in New York, New York, this large public school handed out 153 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Hunter is $9,385 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 Hunter

California State University - Fullerton ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. California State University - Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 98 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fullerton is $12,916 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, 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 students.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Cal State Fullerton

#18

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

La Crosse, Wisconsin
Top 15% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #18. UW - La Crosse is a fairly large public school situated in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It awarded 46 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - La Crosse also claimed a top spot on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $16,573 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 more about Physical Sciences at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

California State University - Los Angeles landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 50 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Cal State LA is $9,576 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low 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%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Cal State LA

#20

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts
Top 25% in overall quality

Williams College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Williams College is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 74 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Williams is $14,653 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, 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 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Williams College Physical Sciences Report

#21

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin

Beloit College landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Beloit is a small school located in Beloit, Wisconsin that handed out 41 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Beloit College is $12,123 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Beloit

#22

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#9 in overall quality

University of Pennsylvania landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. 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. The estimated yearly cost for University of Pennsylvania is $20,632 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UPenn

#23

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#13 in overall quality

Harvard University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k list. Harvard University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 112 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

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 $15,553 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Harvard University.

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%. 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 Harvard University Physical Sciences Report

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Odessa, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 29 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UT Permian Basin is $10,923 for bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full The University of Texas of the Permian Basin Physical Sciences Report

#25

University of Wyoming

Laramie, Wyoming
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wyoming landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Laramie, Wyoming, and it awarded 88 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wyoming is $14,958 for Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 full report on Physical Sciences at University of Wyoming

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k

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

#26

Truman State University

Kirksville, Missouri
#27

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#28

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland
#29

Augusta University

Augusta, Georgia
#30

University of North Georgia

Dahlonega, Georgia
#33

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#34

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#35

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#35

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#37

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida
#39

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah
#41

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
#42

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
#43

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky
#44

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#46

Marshall University

Huntington, West Virginia
#47

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California
#48

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#49

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $75-$110k

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

Rank College Location
51 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX
52 California State University - Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA
53 University of California - Davis Davis, CA
54 University of Wisconsin - Platteville Platteville, WI
55 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL
56 University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Green Bay, WI
57 University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA

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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