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2023 Most Popular Master’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences

364 Ranked Colleges
6,760 Degrees Awarded
$63,256 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master's

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s” 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.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 6,760 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s” ranking, we looked at 364 colleges that offer a degree in physical sciences. To top this list, a school must have a successful physical sciences program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to 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.

Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree physical sciences students.

1
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Johns Hopkins University. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s. Johns Hopkins is a private not-for-profit institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 167 masters’s 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Johns Hopkins University

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia University in the City of New York. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s list. Located in New York, New York, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 107 degrees to qualified masters’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Full Columbia Physical Sciences Report

3
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

Out of the 364 schools in the Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Arizona landed the #3 spot on the list. University of Arizona is a large school located in Tucson, Arizona that handed out 104 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 85%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of Arizona

4
UO crest
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

Out of the 364 schools in the Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Oregon landed the #4 spot on the list. UO is a public institution located in Eugene, Oregon. The school has a large population, and it awarded 96 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 UO

4
Mississippi State crest
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi

Out of the 364 schools in the Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Mississippi State University landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Mississippi State, Mississippi, and it awarded 96 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Mississippi State University Physical Sciences Report

6

With a ranking of #6, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s list. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 95 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 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%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UCSD

7

With a ranking of #7, University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s list. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is located in Seattle, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 93 masters’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad 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 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

8
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton University ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s list. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 91 diplomas to qualified masters’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Princeton University Physical Sciences Report

9
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s list. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physical sciences degrees to 89 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Florida State

10

University of California - Los Angeles ranked #10 on this year’s Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 88 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 96%. The low undergrad 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%.

Full UCLA Physical Sciences Report

11

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s ranking. U-M is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 87 masters’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at U-M

11
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #11, University of Chicago did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s list. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 87 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at UChicago

13

With a ranking of #13, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s list. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 85 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 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at UW - Madison

14
University of Rochester crest
University of Rochester
Rochester, New York

With a ranking of #14, University of Rochester did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s list. University of Rochester is located in Rochester, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 83 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Rochester

15
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York

New York University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s ranking. NYU is a large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 82 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Physical Sciences at New York University

16

Texas A&M University - College Station came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s ranking. College Station, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physical sciences degrees to 81 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 94%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Texas A&M University - College Station

17

With a ranking of #17, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s list. University of California - Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 79 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UC Berkeley

18

Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #18. Athens, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physical sciences degrees to 75 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Physical Sciences at OHIO Athens

19
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

Yale University ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s list. Yale University is a fairly large school located in New Haven, Connecticut that handed out 74 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Yale Physical Sciences Report

20
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s ranking. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s physical sciences degrees to 71 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University

21
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #21. Cornell is a private not-for-profit institution located in Ithaca, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 70 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 Cornell

21
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #21, University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s list. UPenn is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 70 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Pennsylvania

23
Georgia State crest
Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia

Georgia State University ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s list. Atlanta, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physical sciences degrees to 66 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Georgia State University

23

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s ranking. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school awarded 66 degrees to qualified masters’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UMN Twin Cities

25
The Graduate Center crest
The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, New York

The Graduate Center, CUNY came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s ranking. The Graduate Center, CUNY is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 64 masters’s 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. 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%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at The Graduate Center

Rest of the Best 52 in Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s

Not only did these schools make the top 52 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California
26
26
29
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado
30
31
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island
31
33
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
34
34
36
University at Buffalo crest
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
37
38
38
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina
40
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois
41
42
42
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas
44
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas
44
SUNY Stony Brook crest
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York
46
46
48
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas
49
UofM crest
University of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
50
50
50
Oregon State crest
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended Physical Sciences Major for a Master’s

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

RankCollegeLocation
53Missouri State University - SpringfieldSpringfield, MO
54University of California - RiversideRiverside, CA
54Indiana University - BloomingtonBloomington, IN
54The University of Tennessee - KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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