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2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k

20 Ranked Colleges
3,224 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k” 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.

Across California, there were 3,224 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,268 and $18,506 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 20 colleges that offer a degree in physics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent physics programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the physics program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 20 Best Value Colleges for Physics (Income $48-$75k) in California

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, 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 $48-$75k list. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 85 diplomas to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

Stanford also made our “Best Physics Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford University is $7,081 for California Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.

Full Stanford Physics Report

2

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 52 degrees to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Caltech, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Caltech is $9,755 for california physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Physics at Caltech

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of California - Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 197 ’s physics degrees 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 University of California - Berkeley is $13,423 for California Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Physics at University of California - Berkeley

4

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #4 spot on the list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 123 students in 2020-2021.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Physics Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Los Angeles is $12,644 for California Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

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.

Full University of California - Los Angeles Physics Report

5

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Diego landed the #5 spot on the 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.

UCSD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Physics Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $14,310 for California Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of California - San Diego Physics Report

6

With a ranking of #6, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. UC Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 122 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Irvine did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Physics Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend UC Irvine is $13,275 for California Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 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%.

Read more about Physics at University of California - Irvine

7

University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k 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.

UCSB also took the #3 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCSB is $14,583 for California Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UCSB Physics Report

8

University of California - Davis landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of California - Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 90 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Davis also made our “Best Physics Schools in California” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $14,193 for California Physics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Davis.

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

Read more about Physics at University of California - Davis

9

California State University - Los Angeles ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Cal State LA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 15 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal State LA also made our “Best Physics Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Los Angeles is $5,700 for California Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.

Read full report on Physics at Cal State LA

10

California State University - Long Beach came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. California State University - Long Beach is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 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 $11,189 for california physics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend CSULB.

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

Read full report on Physics at CSULB

11

With a ranking of #11, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Cal State Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 35 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal State Fullerton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Physics Schools in California” list. It costs about $9,017 for california physics students whose families make $48-$75k 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

12

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. Riverside, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 83 students in 2020-2021.

UCR also made our “Best Physics Schools in California” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $11,126 for california physics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Riverside.

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

13

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 $48-$75k 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 also made our “Best Physics Schools in California” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $15,567 for california physics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Santa Cruz.

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.

Read more about Physics at UC Santa Cruz

14
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Diego State University is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 18 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SDSU, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $14,698 for California Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Read full report on Physics at SDSU

15

California State University - Northridge landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. CSUN is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 27 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

CSUN not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Physics Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $10,780 for california physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full CSUN Physics Report

16

With a ranking of #16, University of California - Merced did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of California - Merced is a medium-sized school located in Merced, California that handed out 26 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california physics students whose families make $48-$75k list, UC Merced has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Merced is $14,261 for California Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. 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 Physics at UC Merced

17

California State University - Sacramento came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 23 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 yearly cost to attend California State University - Sacramento is $12,602 for California Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 full report on Physics at California State University - Sacramento

18

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. This large school is located in Pomona, California, and it awarded 25 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal Poly Pomona also took the #16 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly Pomona is $15,958 for california physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Cal Poly Pomona Physics Report

19

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $17,340 for California Physics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Physics at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

20
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

Humboldt State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physics Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. Arcata, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physics degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california physics students whose families make $48-$75k list, Humboldt State University has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Physics Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Humboldt State University is $16,716 for California Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Humboldt State University Physics Report

Notes and References

References

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