by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2025, College Factual analyzed 6 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Physical Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 355 doctor's degrees in physical sciences during the 2022-2023 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Your choice of physical sciences for getting your doctor's degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To account for this we consider a school's overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking which itself looks at a host of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of doctorate graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their doctor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our complete 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 Plains States Region.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a doctor's degree in physical sciences.
It's difficult to beat University of Minnesota - Twin Cities if you want to pursue a doctor's degree in physical sciences. UMN Twin Cities is a very large public university located in the large city of Minneapolis.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Iowa State University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a doctor's degree in physical sciences. Iowa State is a fairly large public university located in the city of Ames.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from Iowa State University
Washington University in St Louis is a great choice for students pursuing a doctor's degree in physical sciences. WUSTL is a large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Saint Louis.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from Washington University in St Louis
University of Nebraska - Lincoln is a great option for students pursuing a doctor's degree in physical sciences. Located in the city of Lincoln, UNL is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Located in the city of Iowa City, Iowa is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Iowa
Located in the city of Columbia, Mizzou is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Missouri - Columbia
Explore the best physical sciences schools for a specific state in the Plains States Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 27 | 65 |
| Missouri | 27 | 78 |
| Kansas | 26 | 42 |
| Iowa | 26 | 62 |
| Nebraska | 24 | 19 |
| North Dakota | 21 | 10 |
| South Dakota | 15 | 15 |
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 203 |
| Physics | 99 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 35 |
| Materials Sciences | 9 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 6 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 3 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Engineering | 675 |
| Agriculture & Agriculture Operations | 660 |
| Biological & Biomedical Sciences | 659 |
| Mathematics & Statistics | 157 |
| Natural Resources & Conservation | 46 |
| Engineering Technologies | 5 |
| Architecture & Related Services | 2 |
| Military Technologies & Applied Sciences | 1 |
