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2023 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Engineering & Applied Physics

121 Ranked Colleges
688 Degrees Awarded
$35,100 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor's

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 994 people earned their degree in engineering and applied physics, making the major the 448th most popular in the United States.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 688 engineering and applied physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 121 colleges that offered a degree in engineering and applied physics. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular engineering and applied physics programs in the United States.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Engineering & Applied Physics 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 “Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree applied physics students.

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 74 bachelors’s applied physics 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 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%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Engineering & Applied Physics Report

2
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Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Colorado School of Mines. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s list. Mines is a medium-sized public school situated in Golden, Colorado. It awarded 59 bachelors’s applied physics 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Mines

3
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Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Out of the 121 schools in the Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Cornell University landed the #3 spot on the list. Cornell is located in Ithaca, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 bachelors’s applied physics degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.

Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Cornell

4
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Murray State University
Murray, Kentucky

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Murray State University. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s. Murray State is a public institution located in Murray, Kentucky. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Engineering & Applied Physics at Murray State University

5
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Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana

Out of the 121 schools in the Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Tulane University of Louisiana landed the #5 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in New Orleans, Louisiana, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Tulane Engineering & Applied Physics Report

6

University of Colorado Boulder did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #6. CU - Boulder is a large public school situated in Boulder, Colorado. It awarded 27 bachelors’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full CU - Boulder Engineering & Applied Physics Report

7

Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school handed out 23 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s applied physics students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Ohio State University - Main Campus

8

University of Wisconsin - Platteville came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. UW - Platteville is located in Platteville, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s applied physics degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Engineering & Applied Physics at University of Wisconsin - Platteville

9

With a ranking of #9, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 21 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s applied physics students 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Engineering & Applied Physics Report

9

With a ranking of #9, Stephen F Austin State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s list. Nacogdoches, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s applied physics degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Stephen F Austin State University

11
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Fordham University
Bronx, New York

Fordham University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Fordham U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bronx, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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

Full Fordham U Engineering & Applied Physics Report

12

Delaware State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Dover, Delaware, this medium-sized public school awarded 18 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s applied physics students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Del State

12

With a ranking of #12, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s list. University of California - Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 18 bachelors’s applied physics 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 Engineering & Applied Physics at University of California - Berkeley

14
Southeast Missouri State University crest
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University ranked #14 on this year’s Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s list. Southeast Missouri State University is located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s applied physics degrees to qualified students.

Full Southeast Missouri State University Engineering & Applied Physics Report

15

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Daytona Beach, Florida, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 15 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s applied physics students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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%.

Full Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Engineering & Applied Physics Report

16

Columbia University in the City of New York ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Columbia University in the City of New York Engineering & Applied Physics Report

17
Morehouse crest
Morehouse College
Atlanta, Georgia

With a ranking of #17, Morehouse College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s list. Atlanta, Georgia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s applied physics degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

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

Full Morehouse Engineering & Applied Physics Report

17
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Biola University
La Mirada, California

Biola University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #17. Biola is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in La Mirada, California. It awarded 10 bachelors’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 full report on Engineering & Applied Physics at Biola University

19
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Kettering University
Flint, Michigan

With a ranking of #19, Kettering University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in Flint, Michigan, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Kettering University

19
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Randolph - Macon College
Ashland, Virginia

Randolph - Macon College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #19. Randolph - Macon is located in Ashland, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s applied physics degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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 Engineering & Applied Physics at Randolph - Macon College

21

University of New Hampshire - Main Campus ranked #21 on this year’s Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s list. UNH is a fairly large public school situated in Durham, New Hampshire. It awarded 7 bachelors’s applied physics 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 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%.

Full University of New Hampshire - Main Campus Engineering & Applied Physics Report

21
UCONN crest
University of Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut

University of Connecticut landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Connecticut is a public institution located in Storrs, Connecticut. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad 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%.

Full UCONN Engineering & Applied Physics Report

21
Hamline crest
Hamline University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Hamline University ranked #21 on this year’s Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s list. Hamline is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s applied physics 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 more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Hamline

21
Westmont crest
Westmont College
Santa Barbara, California

Westmont College ranked #21 on this year’s Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s list. Westmont is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s applied physics degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Westmont Engineering & Applied Physics Report

21
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Medford, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s applied physics degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Engineering & Applied Physics at Tufts

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