by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual looked at 12 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Physical Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,170 doctor's degrees in physical sciences during the 2021-2022 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
The physical sciences doctor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality physical sciences program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
The overall quality of a doctor's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their doctor's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their doctor's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for physical sciences students working on their doctor's degree.
The physical sciences school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Physical Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region.
Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for physical sciences students seeking a a doctor's degree.
It is hard to beat University of California - Berkeley if you wish to pursue a doctor's degree in physical sciences. UC Berkeley is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of California - Berkeley
University of California - Santa Barbara is one of the best schools in the country for getting a doctor's degree in physical sciences. Located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of California - Santa Barbara
University of California - San Diego is a good decision for individuals pursuing a doctor's degree in physical sciences. UCSD is a very large public university located in the city of La Jolla.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of California - San Diego
Any student who is interested in a doctor's degree in physical sciences needs to check out University of California - Irvine. UC Irvine is a very large public university located in the city of Irvine.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of California - Irvine
Located in the suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of California - Davis
Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of California - Los Angeles
Located in the city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Washington - Seattle Campus
UC Santa Cruz is a large public university located in the city of Santa Cruz.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of California - Santa Cruz
Oregon State is a very large public university located in the small city of Corvallis.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from Oregon State University
UO is a very large public university located in the city of Eugene.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Oregon
Explore the best physical sciences colleges for a specific state in the Far Western US Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| California | 30 | 793 |
| Washington | 27 | 113 |
| Oregon | 27 | 72 |
| Nevada | 25 | 30 |
| Hawaii | 23 | 16 |
| Alaska | 10 | 10 |
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 541 |
| Physics | 310 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 179 |
| Materials Sciences | 79 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 35 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 24 |
| Other Physical Science | 2 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Engineering | 1,704 |
| Biological & Biomedical Sciences | 1,435 |
| Agriculture & Agriculture Operations | 546 |
| Mathematics & Statistics | 383 |
| Natural Resources & Conservation | 157 |
| Architecture & Related Services | 63 |
| Engineering Technologies | 30 |
| Military Technologies & Applied Sciences | 1 |
