2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Physics (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Physics is the 67th most popular major in the country with 14,123 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, physics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $42,475 and had an average of $22,421 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Far Western US region, there were 3,784 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,070 and $20,138 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 333 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $59,319 and $48,880 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 24 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.
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.
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More Ways to Rank Physics Schools
The physics school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k”.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k.
Top 24 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Physics (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Stanford is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 masters’s physics degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stanford, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford are $55,011.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. California Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Caltech, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Caltech are $56,649, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 20 masters’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
UW Seattle did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW Seattle are $30,294, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Riverside. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Riverside, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCR, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Riverside are $28,686.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 29 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Berkeley, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Berkeley are $29,347, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of California - Los Angeles ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 19 students in 2019-2020.
UCLA also made our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #4. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCLA are $28,131, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Physics at University of California - Los Angeles
California State University - Los Angeles ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Cal State LA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 5 masters’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal State LA also made our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #20. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State LA are $17,723, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Physics at California State University - Los Angeles
California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. California State University - Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 11 masters’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal State Fullerton also took the #15 spot in our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fullerton are $17,892, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school handed out 21 diplomas to qualified masters’s physics students in 2019-2020.
UCSB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Santa Barbara are $28,670, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Physics at University of California - Santa Barbara
California State University - Long Beach came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. CSULB is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 19 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
CSULB also took the #12 spot in our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSULB are $17,784, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Physics at California State University - Long Beach
With a ranking of #11, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of California - Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 masters’s physics degrees to qualified students.
UC Davis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Davis are $28,700, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #12, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.
UC Irvine also made our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #8. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Irvine are $28,456, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
California State University - Fresno came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. California State University - Fresno is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 masters’s physics degrees to qualified students.
Fresno State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fresno are $17,581.
Read more about Physics at California State University - Fresno
University of Nevada - Las Vegas came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Las Vegas, Nevada is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.
UNLV not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #0 on our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UNLV are $21,962, but some majors have different tuition rates.
San Diego State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Diego State University is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 4 masters’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Diego State University are $18,658, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #16, University of Oregon did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UO is located in Eugene, Oregon and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 41 masters’s physics degrees to qualified students.
UO not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Oregon are $29,991, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of California - Merced did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. University of California - Merced is located in Merced, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 masters’s physics degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our far western us region master’s degree physics students whose families make $48-$75k list, UC Merced has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Merced are $43,854, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #18, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UCSD is a large school located in La Jolla, California that handed out 6 masters’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
UCSD did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UCSD are $28,631.
Read more about Physics at University of California - San Diego
University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.
UC Santa Cruz also took the #13 spot in our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Santa Cruz are $28,952.
Read more about Physics at University of California - Santa Cruz
University of Nevada - Reno came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UNR is located in Reno, Nevada and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 masters’s physics degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our far western us region master’s degree physics students whose families make $48-$75k list, UNR has also earned the #0 rank in our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Nevada - Reno are $21,971, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Portland State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Portland, Oregon, and it awarded 2 masters’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
Portland State University also took the #0 spot in our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Portland State University are $23,784, but some majors have different tuition rates.
San Francisco State University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. SFSU is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
SFSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Francisco State University are $17,944, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of Hawaii at Manoa landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Honolulu, Hawaii is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.
UH Manoa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UH Manoa are $34,550, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Physics at University of Hawaii at Manoa
Oregon State University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Oregon State University is a large public school situated in Corvallis, Oregon. It awarded 5 masters’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
Oregon State also made our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #16. Average graduate tuition and fees at Oregon State are $28,121, but some majors have different tuition rates.
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to A. T. Service.
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