2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics (With Aid)
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 Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2019-2020, 14,123 people earned their degree in physics, making the major the 67th most popular in the United States. 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.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 8,542 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 327 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.
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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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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 for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics (With Aid)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid. This fairly large school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 83 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
MIT also took the #1 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,636 for bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend MIT.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive 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.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid. UNC Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 49 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.
UNC Chapel Hill also claimed a top spot on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $12,352 for bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend UNC Chapel Hill.
The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 207 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UW Seattle is also in the top of our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $13,297 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.
The low 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 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The City College of New York. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid. Located in New York, New York, this fairly large public school handed out 24 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend The City College of New York is $2,385 for bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.
Out of the 327 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Los Angeles landed the #5 spot on the list. Cal State LA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 16 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $2,768 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend California State University - Los Angeles.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is located in Edinburg, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $4,514 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. UW - La Crosse is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 34 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.
UW - La Crosse also claimed a top spot on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $14,580 for bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, 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%.
With a ranking of #8, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school handed out 61 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.
UW - Madison also took the #20 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $17,708 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend UW - Madison.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physics at University of Wisconsin - Madison
California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. Cal State Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fullerton is $7,991 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
University of California - Riverside came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, UCR is in the top on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $12,871 for bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend UCR.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%.
University of Florida landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this large public school awarded 41 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend University of Florida is $6,302 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Brigham Young University - Idaho did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. This large school is located in Rexburg, Idaho, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend BYU - I is $7,167 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #13, Missouri University of Science and Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a medium-sized school located in Rolla, Missouri that handed out 16 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
Missouri University of Science and Technology also claimed a top spot on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $14,262 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 Missouri University of Science and Technology
California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. CSULB is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 53 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $9,622 for bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend CSULB.
The 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 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Physics at California State University - Long Beach
Hunter College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Located in New York, New York, this large public school handed out 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Hunter is $2,490 for bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 68 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
UIUC also claimed a top spot on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $15,880 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The 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 full report on Physics at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Harvard University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Harvard is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 45 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
Harvard not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Harvard University is $15,386 for bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #18, Princeton University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Princeton is a private not-for-profit institution located in Princeton, New Jersey. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 39 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, Princeton has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Princeton is $11,317 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.
The low 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
With a ranking of #19, University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 41 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus is $8,355 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 South Florida - Main Campus
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 51 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, U-M has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $15,336 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of California - Santa Barbara is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 161 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, UCSB has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Santa Barbara is $15,884 for bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.
The 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 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
University of California - Los Angeles ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. UCLA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 64 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.
UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $14,279 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The 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 full report on Physics at University of California - Los Angeles
Stanford University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #23. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.
Stanford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Stanford University is $11,496 for bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #24. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school handed out 38 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $13,986 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend Purdue.
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 low 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%.
The University of Texas at Dallas did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #25. UT Dallas is a public institution located in Richardson, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend UT Dallas is $15,232 for Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.
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 student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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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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