2023 Best Value Colleges for Physics (Income $0-$30k)
222
Ranked Colleges
13,674
Degrees Awarded
$4,900
Avg Net Price*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Physics is the 68th most popular major in the country with 13,674 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, physics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $42,960 and had an average of $22,756 in loans still to pay off.
For this year’s “Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 222 colleges that offer a degree in physics. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great physics programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the physics program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons 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.
Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k
The colleges and universities below are the best for physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Physics (Income $0-$30k)
Out of the 222 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Stanford, California, and it awarded 85 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Stanford also made our “Best Physics Schools” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $1,233 for Physics students whose families make $0-$30k 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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 more about Physics at Stanford
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. UChicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 102 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.
UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Physics Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $2,500 for Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, 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 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 Physics at University of Chicago
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 47 degrees to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.
Northwestern also took the #3 spot in our “Best Physics Schools” ranking. It costs about $245 for Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northwestern University.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.
Full Northwestern University Physics Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Johns Hopkins University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Baltimore, Maryland, and it awarded 60 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, Johns Hopkins has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Physics Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Johns Hopkins University is $2,084 for Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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%.
Read full report on Physics at Johns Hopkins
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 118 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, U-M has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Physics Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $2,670 for physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Physics at U-M
With a ranking of #6, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. UW - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 144 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - Madison also made our “Best Physics Schools” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Madison is $3,981 for Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 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 Physics at UW - Madison
With a ranking of #7, Williams College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and it awarded 19 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, Williams has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Physics Schools” ranking. It costs about $1,451 for Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Williams.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.
Read more about Physics at Williams
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 57 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UNC Chapel Hill is also in the top of our “Best Physics Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $3,753 for physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full UNC Chapel Hill Physics Report
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 106 students in 2020-2021.
UIUC also made our “Best Physics Schools” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $4,858 for Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 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 Physics at UIUC
Cornell University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cornell is located in Ithaca, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 96 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.
Cornell also made our “Best Physics Schools” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Cornell University is $5,244 for Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 Physics at Cornell University
With a ranking of #11, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 94 students in 2020-2021.
UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Physics Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $7,698 for Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, 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 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physics at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
With a ranking of #12, University of Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. UF is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 58 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UF is $65 for physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of Florida Physics Report
Wake Forest University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and it awarded 17 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Wake Forest University also did well on our “Best Physics Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Wake Forest University is $10,401 for physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physics at Wake Forest University
University of California - Berkeley landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 197 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, UC Berkeley has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Physics Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Berkeley is $8,450 for Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Physics at UC Berkeley
University of Maryland - College Park did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Located in College Park, Maryland, this large public school awarded 109 diplomas to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.
UMCP also took the #15 spot in our “Best Physics Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Maryland - College Park is $6,067 for physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 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 full report on Physics at UMCP
California Institute of Technology came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California Institute of Technology is a small school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 52 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on this list, Caltech is in the top on our “Best Physics Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for California Institute of Technology is $-539 for physics students whose families make $0-$30k. A negative average net price may seem strange, but it generally means that financial aid will more than cover the cost to attend the school.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Caltech Physics Report
Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school handed out 78 diplomas to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Purdue also did well on our “Best Physics Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $5,995 for Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Purdue University - Main Campus.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, 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 Physics at Purdue University - Main Campus
University of California - Los Angeles came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of California - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 123 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Physics Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCLA is $9,037 for physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Physics at UCLA
University of Washington - Seattle Campus came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 262 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
UW Seattle also took the #18 spot in our “Best Physics Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,194 for physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus.
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 Physics at UW Seattle
Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 40 students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $5,752 for physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Indiana University - Bloomington.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 IU Bloomington Physics Report
Florida State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Tallahassee, Florida, and it awarded 62 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Florida State excels when it comes to physics quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Physics Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State is $4,950 for physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, 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 95%.
Read full report on Physics at Florida State
Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ohio State is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 114 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Ohio State also took the #21 spot in our “Best Physics Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State is $7,068 for Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 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%.
Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Physics Report
William & Mary landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Williamsburg, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 38 students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $5,972 for Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, 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.
Full William & Mary Physics Report
University of California - San Diego ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of California - San Diego is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 82 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Physics Schools” ranking. It costs about $9,823 for physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UCSD.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physics at UCSD
University of Arizona ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Tucson, Arizona, and it awarded 162 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Arizona also took the #10 spot in our “Best Physics Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,987 for Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Arizona.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Physics at University of Arizona
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