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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences in California

30 Ranked Colleges
847 Degrees Awarded
$42,953 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 50,306 people earned their degree in physical sciences, making the major the 19th most popular in the United States. 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. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 847 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $62,974 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California” ranking looked at 30 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in physical sciences. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their physical sciences program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California” 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California”.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences in California

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. Caltech is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 39 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Physical Sciences at California Institute of Technology

2
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California. Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 58 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 86%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Stanford University

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - San Diego. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. UCSD is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 95 masters’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UCSD

4
Naval Postgraduate School crest
Naval Postgraduate School
Monterey, California

Out of the 30 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Naval Postgraduate School landed the #4 spot on the list. Naval Postgraduate School is a small school located in Monterey, California that handed out 18 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Naval Postgraduate School

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Santa Barbara. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California. University of California - Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 49 masters’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%.

Full UCSB Physical Sciences Report

6

University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking, coming in at #6. UCLA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 88 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at University of California - Los Angeles

7

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large school located in Santa Cruz, California that handed out 34 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, 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 85%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at UC Santa Cruz

8

University of California - Berkeley landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school awarded 79 degrees to qualified masters’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.

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

Full University of California - Berkeley Physical Sciences Report

9

University of California - Merced ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. University of California - Merced is a medium-sized public school situated in Merced, California. It awarded 10 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UC Merced

10

University of California - Irvine ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. UC Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 56 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

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 school has an impressive undergrad 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 University of California - Irvine

11

University of California - Riverside ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. University of California - Riverside is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 32 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at UCR

12

California State University - Fresno came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. Fresno State is a large public school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 23 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Fresno State

13

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking, coming in at #13. University of California - Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 42 masters’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 more about Physical Sciences at University of California - Davis

14
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. SFSU is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 27 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 more about Physical Sciences at San Francisco State University

15

California State University - Los Angeles ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 19 masters’s physical sciences 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 California State University - Los Angeles

16

California State University - Bakersfield did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Bakersfield, California, this fairly large public school awarded 7 diplomas to qualified masters’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at CSUB

17
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking, coming in at #17. San Jose State University is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 23 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at San Jose State

18
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physical sciences degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.

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

19

California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Northridge, California, this large public school handed out 23 diplomas to qualified masters’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.

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 CSUN

20

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is located in Pomona, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 masters’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

21

With a ranking of #21, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physical sciences degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, 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 89%.

Full CSULB Physical Sciences Report

22

California State University - East Bay did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking, coming in at #22. Cal State East Bay is a fairly large public school situated in Hayward, California. It awarded 9 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at California State University - East Bay

23

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. This large school is located in San Luis Obispo, California, and it awarded 8 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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

24

California State University - Fullerton ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. Cal State Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 14 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full California State University - Fullerton Physical Sciences Report

25

California State University - Sacramento landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. California State University - Sacramento is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 masters’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Sacramento Physical Sciences Report

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