Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid

18 Ranked Colleges
430 Degrees Awarded
$24,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor's in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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.

Across Pennsylvania, there were 549 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,900 and $27,000 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 430 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 18 colleges that offer a degree in physics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality physics programs that also have a lower cost than 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Physics Schools

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 a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid” 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. 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 Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid.

Top 18 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics in Pennsylvania (With Aid)

#1

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. UPenn is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 60 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

UPenn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend UPenn is $25,802 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.

The 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. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, 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 95%.

Full University of Pennsylvania Physics Report

#2

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

SRU also took the #4 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $19,926 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.

Read full report on Physics at SRU

#3

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, Pennsylvania
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend West Chester University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Located in West Chester, Pennsylvania, this fairly large public school handed out 19 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

WCUPA also took the #5 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $22,495 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at West Chester University of Pennsylvania

#4

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is a public institution located in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

East Stroudsburg University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for East Stroudsburg University is $19,855 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.

Read full report on Physics at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

#5

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
#13 in overall quality

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school awarded 7 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bloomsburg, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bloomsburg is $20,230 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

Read full report on Physics at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

#6

Lock Haven University

Lock Haven, Pennsylvania

Lock Haven University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. Lock Haven University is located in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, LHU has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lock Haven University is $20,506 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

Read full report on Physics at Lock Haven University

#7 in overall quality

University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

Pitt also took the #7 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is $27,938 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

#8

Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville, Pennsylvania
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Millersville University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Millersville, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.

Millersville not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Millersville University of Pennsylvania is $23,350 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

Full Millersville Physics Report

#9

Clarion University of Pennsylvania

Clarion, Pennsylvania
#15 in overall quality

Clarion University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. Clarion University is a public institution located in Clarion, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Clarion University also took the #15 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Clarion University is $20,011 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.

Read more about Physics at Clarion University

#10

California University of Pennsylvania

California, Pennsylvania
#17 in overall quality

California University of Pennsylvania came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. California, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

Cal U also took the #17 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $18,154 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend California University of Pennsylvania.

Read more about Physics at California University of Pennsylvania

#16 in overall quality

Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Indiana, Pennsylvania. It awarded 7 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

IUP also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend IUP is $22,448 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

Read full report on Physics at IUP

#12

Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Temple University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large public school awarded 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Temple, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Temple University is $23,521 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

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 Temple University Physics Report

#13

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown, Pennsylvania

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Kutztown University, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $22,422 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend Kutztown University.

Read full report on Physics at Kutztown University

#14

Allegheny College

Meadville, Pennsylvania
#8 in overall quality

Allegheny College landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Meadville, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, Allegheny has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Allegheny College is $21,682 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.

The impressive 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. The low student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 Allegheny College Physics Report

#15

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#1 in overall quality

Carnegie Mellon University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 40 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, Carnegie Mellon has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $34,508 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend Carnegie Mellon University.

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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at Carnegie Mellon

#16

Lebanon Valley College

Annville, Pennsylvania
#6 in overall quality

Lebanon Valley College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #16. Lebanon Valley College is located in Annville, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

LVC also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Lebanon Valley College is $27,464 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physics at LVC

#17

Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

Wilkes University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wilkes, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wilkes University is $26,641 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.

Read more about Physics at Wilkes

#18

Drexel University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#3 in overall quality

Drexel University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, Drexel has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Drexel is $34,914 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Drexel University Physics Report

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

Featured Physical Sciences Schools

Find Schools Near You