2026 Best Value Physics Schools in Maryland
[Physics](/majors/physical-sciences/physics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong physics education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools to find the best return on investment for physics students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Physics Schools in Maryland
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the physics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Physics Schools
University Of Maryland College Park earned the #1 spot for value among physics schools in Maryland. Set in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,809 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $41,186. Students borrow a median of $20,194 to complete the physics program here. Soon after graduation, physics degree recipients from University Of Maryland College Park generally make around $39,825. That is a strong return on a $20,194 median debt. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in physics will find it at Johns Hopkins University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,730. Typical student debt for physics graduates is $13,426. Physics graduates of Johns Hopkins University earn a median of $84,850 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,426 median debt. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Maryland Baltimore County came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value physics schools. Located in the suburb of Baltimore, University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,256, while out-of-state students pay about $31,225. Students borrow a median of $21,331 to complete the physics program here. Physics graduates of University Of Maryland Baltimore County earn a median of $49,179 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,331 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
