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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics in the Southeast Region (With Aid)

71 Ranked Colleges
1,510 Degrees Awarded
$12,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region 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.

Across the Southeast region, there were 2,160 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,400 and $23,843 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,510 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 71 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.

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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid

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

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics in the Southeast Region (With Aid)

#1

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 49 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

UNC Chapel Hill also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $12,352 for southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.

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.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Physics Report

#2

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Florida is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 41 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

UF also took the #14 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $6,302 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at UF

Out of the 71 schools in the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. University of South Florida - Main Campus is located in Tampa, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 41 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

USF Tampa also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #19. It costs about $8,355 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend USF Tampa.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of South Florida - Main Campus Physics Report

#4

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Appalachian State University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Boone, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 27 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Appalachian State is $13,920 for southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Physics at Appalachian State University

#5

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of West Florida. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. The University of West Florida is a fairly large public school situated in Pensacola, Florida. It awarded 8 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,406 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend The University of West Florida.

Read full report on Physics at The University of West Florida

#6

University of North Georgia

Dahlonega, Georgia

With a ranking of #6, University of North Georgia did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of North Georgia is a fairly large public school situated in Dahlonega, Georgia. It awarded 25 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,396 for southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend University of North Georgia.

Read more about Physics at University of North Georgia

University of Central Florida landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Orlando, Florida, this large public school awarded 32 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Central Florida is $10,274 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, 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 92%.

Read more about Physics at University of Central Florida

#8

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #8, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. North Carolina State University is a large school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 41 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NC State, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $16,458 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend North Carolina State University.

The school has an impressive 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 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Physics at NC State

Florida International University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. This large school is located in Miami, Florida, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,296 for southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend FIU.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Physics at FIU

#10

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Highland Heights, Kentucky, this fairly large public school awarded 8 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,049 for southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend Northern Kentucky University.

Read more about Physics at Northern Kentucky University

#10

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. Charlottesville, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 32 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, University of Virginia has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $20,397 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend University of Virginia.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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%.

Read full report on Physics at University of Virginia

#12

Augusta University

Augusta, Georgia

Augusta University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Augusta, Georgia, this medium-sized public school handed out 3 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Augusta University is $11,136 for southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid.

Read full report on Physics at Augusta University

#13

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Florida State University is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, Florida State has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $9,789 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend Florida State University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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 Florida State

#14

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

University of North Florida landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UNF is a fairly large school located in Jacksonville, Florida that handed out 12 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UNF is $9,606 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 UNF

#15

University of North Alabama

Florence, Alabama
#23 in overall quality

University of North Alabama landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of North Alabama is a medium-sized school located in Florence, Alabama that handed out 3 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

UNA also made our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #23. It costs about $14,130 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend UNA.

Full University of North Alabama Physics Report

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #16. Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is a public institution located in Atlanta, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 52 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Georgia Tech also took the #5 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is $14,739 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Physics at Georgia Tech

#17

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#8 in overall quality

University of Georgia ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Athens, Georgia, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, UGA has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $13,649 for southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend University of Georgia.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, 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 94%.

Read more about Physics at UGA

#18

Marshall University

Huntington, West Virginia

Marshall University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Marshall University is a public institution located in Huntington, West Virginia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,370 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid per year to attend Marshall University.

Full Marshall University Physics Report

#19

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Boca Raton, Florida, this large public school awarded 9 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Florida Atlantic University is $10,186 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

Read more about Physics at Florida Atlantic University

#20

West Virginia University

Morgantown, West Virginia

West Virginia University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Morgantown, West Virginia, this large public school handed out 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,983 for southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend WVU.

Full West Virginia University Physics Report

#21

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #21, William & Mary did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school situated in Williamsburg, Virginia. It awarded 29 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

William & Mary also took the #6 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $19,800 for Southeast Region 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 low 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%.

Full William & Mary Physics Report

#22

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #22, James Madison University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. James Madison University is a large public school situated in Harrisonburg, Virginia. It awarded 13 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, JMU has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $22,169 for southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend JMU.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, 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.

Full James Madison University Physics Report

#23

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #23, Virginia Tech did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Virginia Tech is a public institution located in Blacksburg, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 75 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Virginia Tech also took the #3 spot in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $21,198 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Physics students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Virginia Tech Physics Report

University of Alabama in Huntsville landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UAH is a medium-sized public school situated in Huntsville, Alabama. It awarded 32 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid list, UAH has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $15,860 for southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Read more about Physics at University of Alabama in Huntsville

With a ranking of #25, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is located in Magnolia, Arkansas and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $14,270 for southeast region bachelor’s degree physics students with aid per year to attend Southern Arkansas University Main Campus.

Read more about Physics at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

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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.

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