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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Physical Sciences in Illinois

48 Ranked Colleges
1,688 Degrees Awarded
$28,900 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 Illinois, there were 1,688 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $48,248 and $22,291 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois” ranking, we looked at 48 colleges that offer a degree in physical sciences. That schools that top this list have a program in physical sciences in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Physical Sciences Schools

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois”.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Physical Sciences in Illinois

1
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Monmouth College
Monmouth, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Monmouth College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois. Monmouth College is a small school located in Monmouth, Illinois that handed out 19 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Monmouth College

2
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Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois

Out of the 48 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Knox College landed the #2 spot on the list. This small school is located in Galesburg, Illinois, and it awarded 16 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Knox Physical Sciences Report

3
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University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 48 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 317 diplomas to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Full University of Chicago Physical Sciences Report

4
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Greenville University
Greenville, Illinois

Out of the 48 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Greenville University landed the #4 spot on the list. Greenville University is located in Greenville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Greenville

5
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Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

Out of the 48 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Wheaton College Illinois landed the #5 spot on the list. Wheaton College Illinois is located in Wheaton, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 28 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Wheaton College Illinois Physical Sciences Report

6
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Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois

With a ranking of #6, Lake Forest College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois list. This small school is located in Lake Forest, Illinois, and it awarded 12 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Lake Forest College

7

Illinois Institute of Technology came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois ranking. Illinois Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 53 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Illinois Institute of Technology Physical Sciences Report

8

With a ranking of #8, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school handed out 375 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UIUC

9

Western Illinois University ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois list. WIU is a medium-sized school located in Macomb, Illinois that handed out 51 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Full WIU Physical Sciences Report

10
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Lewis University
Romeoville, Illinois

Lewis University ranked #10 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois list. Lewis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Romeoville, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 43 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Lewis Physical Sciences Report

11
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Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, Illinois

Illinois Wesleyan University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Bloomington, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full Illinois Wesleyan University Physical Sciences Report

12
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Blackburn College
Carlinville, Illinois

Blackburn College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #12. This small school is located in Carlinville, Illinois, and it awarded 2 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Blackburn College

13
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Millikin University
Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois ranking. Millikin is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Decatur, Illinois. It awarded 10 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 Millikin

14
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Chicago State University
Chicago, Illinois

Chicago State University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois ranking. CSU is a small public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 9 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at CSU

15
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Augustana College
Rock Island, Illinois

Augustana College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois ranking. Augustana College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rock Island, Illinois. It awarded 16 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Augustana College Physical Sciences Report

16
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North Central College
Naperville, Illinois

North Central College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #16. North Central College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Naperville, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at North Central

17

Northern Illinois University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #17. Northern Illinois University is a fairly large school located in Dekalb, Illinois that handed out 71 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Full NIU Physical Sciences Report

18
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Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois ranking. Northwestern University is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 146 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Northwestern University Physical Sciences Report

19

With a ranking of #19, Northeastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Northeastern Illinois University

20
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Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #20. Elmhurst University is located in Elmhurst, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad 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%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Elmhurst

21
Illinois College crest
Illinois College
Jacksonville, Illinois

Illinois College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #21. Illinois College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Jacksonville, Illinois. It awarded 4 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Illinois College Physical Sciences Report

22

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois list. SIUE is a fairly large public school situated in Edwardsville, Illinois. It awarded 42 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

23
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Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #23. Olivet Nazarene University is a small school located in Bourbonnais, Illinois that handed out 17 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad 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 more about Physical Sciences at Olivet Nazarene University

24
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Bradley University
Peoria, Illinois

Bradley University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois ranking. Bradley University is located in Peoria, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, 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 86%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Bradley

25
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Saint Xavier University
Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Saint Xavier University

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