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2023 Best Value Colleges for General Physics in California (With Aid)

20 Ranked Colleges
3,094 Degrees Awarded
$13,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

General Physics is the 60th most popular major in the country with 12,875 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

Across California, there were 3,094 general physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 20 colleges that offered a degree in general physics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general physics programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general physics program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for california general physics students with aid.

Top 20 Best Value Colleges for General Physics in California (With Aid)

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 51 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general physics students with aid list, Stanford has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,894 for California General Physics students with aid per year to attend Stanford University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on General Physics at Stanford University

2

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Los Angeles landed the #2 spot on the list. Cal State LA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 ’s general physics degrees to qualified students.

Cal State LA also made our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Los Angeles is $3,302 for california general physics students with aid.

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%.

Read more about General Physics at Cal State LA

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general physics degrees to 123 students in 2020-2021.

UCLA also took the #4 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $15,023 for california general physics students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UCLA General Physics Report

4

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Diego landed the #4 spot on the list. UCSD is a public institution located in La Jolla, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 54 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UCSD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list. It costs about $15,240 for California General Physics students with aid per year to attend UCSD.

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 full report on General Physics at University of California - San Diego

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Santa Barbara. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 199 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general physics students with aid list, UCSB has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $16,252 for california general physics students with aid per year to attend University of California - Santa Barbara.

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

Read full report on General Physics at UCSB

6

With a ranking of #6, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. California State University - Long Beach is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 48 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSULB, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $10,054 for california general physics students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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%.

Read more about General Physics at California State University - Long Beach

7

University of California - Irvine ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of California - Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 89 ’s general physics degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general physics students with aid list, UC Irvine has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Irvine is $12,209 for california general physics students with aid.

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 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Physics at UC Irvine

8

California State University - Fullerton came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school awarded 35 degrees to qualified ’s general physics students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State Fullerton, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal State Fullerton is $8,003 for California General Physics students with aid.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about General Physics at Cal State Fullerton

9

University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school awarded 197 degrees to qualified ’s general physics students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general physics students with aid list, UC Berkeley has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $16,032 for California General Physics students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, 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 96%.

Read full report on General Physics at UC Berkeley

10

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. UC Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 74 ’s general physics degrees to qualified students.

UC Davis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Davis is $15,768 for California General Physics students with aid.

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 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Physics at UC Davis

11

With a ranking of #11, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. UCR is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 83 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UCR not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend UCR is $11,822 for California General Physics students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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%.

Read more about General Physics at UCR

12

California State University - Northridge landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. CSUN is a public institution located in Northridge, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 27 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUN, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,523 for California General Physics students with aid per year to attend CSUN.

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 more about General Physics at California State University - Northridge

13
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. San Diego State University is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 ’s general physics degrees to qualified students.

SDSU also took the #13 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SDSU is $13,845 for california general physics students with aid.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full San Diego State University General Physics Report

14

University of California - Merced came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Merced, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 26 diplomas to qualified ’s general physics students in 2020-2021.

UC Merced not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Merced is $13,691 for California General Physics students with aid.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Physics at UC Merced

15

University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. UC Santa Cruz is a public institution located in Santa Cruz, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 95 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Santa Cruz, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Santa Cruz is $17,930 for california general physics students with aid.

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

Full University of California - Santa Cruz General Physics Report

16

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Pomona, California, this large public school handed out 25 diplomas to qualified ’s general physics students in 2020-2021.

Cal Poly Pomona also took the #16 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly Pomona is $14,304 for california general physics students with aid.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal Poly Pomona General Physics Report

17

California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. California State University - Sacramento is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 ’s general physics degrees to qualified students.

Sac State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Sac State is $11,178 for california general physics students with aid.

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 General Physics at Sac State

18

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general physics degrees to 37 students in 2020-2021.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also made our “Best General Physics Schools in California” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $20,677 for California General Physics students with aid per year to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 General Physics at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

19
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

Humboldt State University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Arcata, California, this medium-sized public school handed out 10 degrees to qualified ’s general physics students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Humboldt State University, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Humboldt State University is $14,956 for California General Physics students with aid.

Full Humboldt State University General Physics Report

20

California Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Physics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. California Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 52 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Caltech, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best General Physics Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Caltech is $26,542 for california general physics students with aid.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 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 94%.

Full California Institute of Technology General Physics Report

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