2026 Best Value Physical Science Schools in Michigan
[Physical Science](/majors/physical-sciences/general-physical-sciences/physical-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for physical science students.
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2026 Best Value Physical Science Schools in Michigan
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physical science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Physical Science Schools
North Central Michigan College earned the #1 spot for value among physical science schools in Michigan. Located in the town of Petoskey, North Central Michigan College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,430, while out-of-state students pay about $10,590. Typical student debt for physical science graduates is $12,398. Soon after graduation, physical science degree recipients from North Central Michigan College generally make around $42,952. Set against $12,398 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Jackson Community College one of the best values for physical science. Jackson Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Jackson. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,350, compared with $10,200 for out-of-state students. Physical Science graduates carry a median of $16,960 in student loans. Physical Science graduates of Jackson Community College earn a median of $41,322 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,960 median debt.
More Physical Science Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
