by our College Data Analytics Team
[Physics](/majors/physical-sciences/physics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 14 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value physics schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is University Of Kansas, our #1 best value for physics in Kansas. Set in the city of Lawrence, University Of Kansas is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,102, while out-of-state students pay about $30,432. Physics graduates carry a median of $23,608 in student loans. Early-career physics graduates make about $56,289. Set against $23,608 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
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 · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.