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2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region

59 Ranked Colleges
4,644 Degrees Awarded
$16,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 6,853 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,984 and $22,875 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 4,644 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, we looked at 59 colleges that offer a degree in physical sciences. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great physical sciences programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the physical sciences program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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 for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences in the Great Lakes Region

#6 in overall quality

Out of the 59 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse landed the #1 spot on the list. UW - La Crosse is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 46 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

UW - La Crosse not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UW - La Crosse is $14,580 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students.

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

Read more about Physical Sciences at UW - La Crosse

#16 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. SIUE is a fairly large public school situated in Edwardsville, Illinois. It awarded 47 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUE not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $14,423 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students per year to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#3

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
#15 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region. Located in River Falls, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 47 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

UW - River Falls also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for UW - River Falls is $13,748 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of Wisconsin - River Falls

#4

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin
#17 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - Platteville is a public institution located in Platteville, Wisconsin. 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 UW - Platteville, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Platteville is $15,718 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UW - Platteville

#21 in overall quality

Out of the 59 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

UW - Green Bay not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $14,395 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students per year to attend UW - Green Bay.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at UW - Green Bay

#22 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Whitewater, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $15,249 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students.

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

#7

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#25 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is a medium-sized school located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin that handed out 20 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Stevens Point did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is $14,465 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UW - Stevens Point

#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - Eau Claire is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 74 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

UW - Eau Claire did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $16,020 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Full UW - Eau Claire Physical Sciences Report

#9

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Western Michigan University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. WMU is a fairly large public school situated in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It awarded 32 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for WMU is $19,433 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at WMU

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,463 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students per year to attend UW Oshkosh.

Full University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh Physical Sciences Report

#11

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #11. WIU is located in Macomb, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Western Illinois University is $16,210 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Full Western Illinois University Physical Sciences Report

#12

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Dekalb, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 56 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $18,259 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Full Northern Illinois University Physical Sciences Report

#13

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan

Grand Valley State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This large school is located in Allendale, Michigan, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for GVSU is $17,646 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

The 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 more about Physical Sciences at Grand Valley State University

Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Carbondale is $16,945 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

University of Wisconsin - Parkside ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Kenosha, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,327 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Parkside.

Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Parkside

#16

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#24 in overall quality

Illinois State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #16. Illinois State is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 57 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State also took the #24 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $20,895 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students per year to attend Illinois State.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Illinois State University Physical Sciences Report

#17

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, Michigan

Eastern Michigan University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Eastern Michigan is a fairly large school located in Ypsilanti, Michigan that handed out 36 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Eastern Michigan is $15,924 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students.

Full Eastern Michigan University Physical Sciences Report

#18

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#11 in overall quality

Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Purdue is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 152 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $13,986 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Purdue

Kent State University at Kent landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Kent, Ohio, this large public school awarded 74 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Kent State is $18,885 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Kent State

#20

Northern Michigan University

Marquette, Michigan

Northern Michigan University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Marquette, Michigan, this medium-sized public school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,453 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students per year to attend Northern Michigan University.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Northern Michigan University

#21

Saginaw Valley State University

University Center, Michigan

Saginaw Valley State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Saginaw Valley State University is a medium-sized school located in University Center, Michigan that handed out 16 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Saginaw Valley State University is $14,248 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Saginaw Valley State University

University of Akron Main Campus ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Akron Main Campus is located in Akron, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 46 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Akron Main Campus is $17,792 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of Akron Main Campus

#23

Indiana State University

Terre Haute, Indiana

Indiana State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #23. Indiana State is a fairly large public school situated in Terre Haute, Indiana. It awarded 33 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana State University is $13,896 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Indiana State

#24

Cleveland State University

Cleveland, Ohio

With a ranking of #24, Cleveland State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Cleveland State University is a fairly large school located in Cleveland, Ohio that handed out 30 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Cleveland State University is $17,278 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Full Cleveland State University Physical Sciences Report

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UC is a public institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 100 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is $21,843 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UC

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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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