2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k
20
Ranked Colleges
3,224
Degrees Awarded
$9,400
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 13,674 people earned their degree in physics, making the major the 68th most popular in the United States. 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.
Across California, there were 3,224 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,268 and $18,506 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 20 colleges that offered a degree in physics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality physics programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the 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.
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 in California For Those Making $30-$48k” 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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for california physics students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 20 Best Value Colleges for Physics (Income $30-$48k) in California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 85 degrees to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california physics students whose families make $30-$48k list, Stanford has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford University is $1,581 for california physics students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 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.
Full Stanford Physics Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Pasadena, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s physics degrees to 52 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california physics students whose families make $30-$48k list, Caltech has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California Institute of Technology is $12,190 for california physics students whose families make $30-$48k.
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. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Physics at Caltech
Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #3 spot on the list. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 197 students in 2020-2021.
UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Physics Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $9,999 for California Physics students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%.
Full University of California - Berkeley Physics Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UCLA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 123 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,891 for California Physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.
Read full report on Physics at University of California - Los Angeles
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - San Diego. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of California - San Diego is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 82 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.
UCSD did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Physics Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - San Diego is $11,176 for california physics students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Full UCSD Physics Report
California State University - Los Angeles landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.
Cal State LA also took the #17 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Los Angeles is $2,701 for California Physics students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%.
Read more about Physics at California State University - Los Angeles
University of California - Irvine ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UC Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 122 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Irvine also took the #6 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,449 for California Physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Irvine.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. 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 Physics at University of California - Irvine
University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UCSB is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 199 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
UCSB also made our “Best Physics Schools in California” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend UCSB is $11,606 for california physics students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Physics at University of California - Santa Barbara
University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. University of California - Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 90 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Physics Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend UC Davis is $11,598 for california physics students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of California - Davis Physics Report
California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 48 ’s physics 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 Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $7,573 for california physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Long Beach.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full California State University - Long Beach Physics Report
With a ranking of #11, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. California State University - Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State Fullerton, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $5,821 for California Physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cal State Fullerton.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read more about Physics at Cal State Fullerton
University of California - Riverside came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. 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 also took the #11 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,193 for California Physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCR.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Read more about Physics at University of California - Riverside
With a ranking of #13, University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large school located in Santa Cruz, California that handed out 95 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Santa Cruz not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Physics Schools in California” list. It costs about $12,049 for california physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Santa Cruz.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physics at UC Santa Cruz
San Diego State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. SDSU is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.
SDSU also made our “Best Physics Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $9,274 for california physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SDSU.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full San Diego State University Physics Report
California State University - Northridge ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. CSUN is a public institution located in Northridge, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 27 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
CSUN also made our “Best Physics Schools in California” list, coming in at #18. It costs about $7,103 for California Physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Northridge.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 California State University - Northridge Physics Report
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. Cal Poly Pomona is a large school located in Pomona, California that handed out 25 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california physics students whose families make $30-$48k list, Cal Poly Pomona has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,992 for california physics students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cal Poly Pomona.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Physics at Cal Poly Pomona
California State University - Sacramento landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school handed out 23 degrees to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.
Sac State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Physics Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Sacramento is $9,055 for California Physics students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 California State University - Sacramento
University of California - Merced did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. Merced, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.
UC Merced also made our “Best Physics Schools in California” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Merced is $11,400 for california physics students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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%.
Read more about Physics at UC Merced
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 37 students in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also took the #10 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is $13,194 for california physics students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 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 full report on Physics at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Humboldt State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. This medium-sized school is located in Arcata, California, and it awarded 10 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Humboldt State University also took the #20 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Humboldt State University is $12,298 for California Physics students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Humboldt State University Physics Report
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