2023 Best Value Colleges for Physical Sciences
256
Ranked Colleges
50,306
Degrees Awarded
$12,900
Avg Net Price*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools” ranking.
In 2020-2021, 50,306 people earned their degree in physical sciences, making the major the 19th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, physical sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $39,880 and had an average of $22,620 in loans still to pay off.
This year’s “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools” ranking analyzed 256 colleges that offered a degree in physical sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent physical sciences programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the physical sciences program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
More Ways to Rank Physical Sciences Schools
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 “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools”.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Best Value Physical Sciences Schools
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Physical Sciences Schools.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Physical Sciences
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brigham Young University - Provo. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools. Brigham Young University - Provo is a private not-for-profit institution located in Provo, Utah. The school has a large population, and it awarded 122 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for BYU is $13,474 for Physical Sciences students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.
Full BYU Physical Sciences Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brigham Young University - Idaho. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools. Brigham Young University - Idaho is a large school located in Rexburg, Idaho that handed out 36 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho is $6,698 for Physical Sciences students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full BYU - I Physical Sciences Report
Out of the 256 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Carolina University landed the #3 spot on the list. WCU is a public institution located in Cullowhee, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 70 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for WCU is $13,924 for physical sciences students.
Full WCU Physical Sciences Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wyoming. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools list. Located in Laramie, Wyoming, this fairly large public school awarded 97 diplomas to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
UW also claimed a top spot on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for UW is $11,085 for physical sciences students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 more about Physical Sciences at University of Wyoming
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools list. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 42 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $14,462 for physical sciences students.
Full SIUE Physical Sciences Report
Middlesex County College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Edison, New Jersey, this medium-sized public school awarded 207 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Middlesex County College is $9,950 for physical sciences students.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at Middlesex County College
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools ranking. UW - Eau Claire is a public institution located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 70 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $16,051 for physical sciences students per year to attend UW - Eau Claire.
Full UW - Eau Claire Physical Sciences Report
University of Houston landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools ranking. This large school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 215 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend University of Houston is $13,721 for physical sciences students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Full University of Houston Physical Sciences Report
University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools ranking, coming in at #9. UW - River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 33 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $13,844 for Physical Sciences students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Wisconsin - River Falls Physical Sciences Report
With a ranking of #10, Iowa State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools list. Iowa State is a large school located in Ames, Iowa that handed out 129 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Iowa State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State University is $16,002 for Physical Sciences students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at Iowa State
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools ranking. This fairly large school is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and it awarded 50 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $14,654 for Physical Sciences students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
With a ranking of #12, Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools list. Springfield, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physical sciences degrees to 119 students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $16,718 for Physical Sciences students per year to attend Missouri State University - Springfield.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Missouri State University - Springfield Physical Sciences Report
Jackson College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools ranking. Located in Jackson, Michigan, this small public school awarded 25 diplomas to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Jackson College is $10,729 for Physical Sciences students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at Jackson College
University of Akron Main Campus ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools list. University of Akron Main Campus is located in Akron, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 111 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend University of Akron Main Campus is $17,945 for Physical Sciences students.
Full University of Akron Main Campus Physical Sciences Report
With a ranking of #15, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools list. Located in Macomb, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 51 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $15,305 for Physical Sciences students per year to attend WIU.
Read more about Physical Sciences at Western Illinois University
Hunter College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools ranking. Hunter College is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 150 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Hunter College is $2,158 for Physical Sciences students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 more about Physical Sciences at Hunter
Lindenwood University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools ranking. Lindenwood University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Charles, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 22 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Lindenwood University is $17,366 for Physical Sciences students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Lindenwood University Physical Sciences Report
With a ranking of #18, East Tennessee State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools list. ETSU is a fairly large school located in Johnson City, Tennessee that handed out 65 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for East Tennessee State University is $12,894 for Physical Sciences students.
Full ETSU Physical Sciences Report
University of North Texas ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools list. Located in Denton, Texas, this large public school awarded 86 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $14,122 for Physical Sciences students per year to attend UNT.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full UNT Physical Sciences Report
University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools list. USF Tampa is located in Tampa, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 170 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus is $8,346 for physical sciences students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full USF Tampa Physical Sciences Report
Florida Atlantic University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools ranking, coming in at #21. FAU is a public institution located in Boca Raton, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 73 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Florida Atlantic University is $10,735 for Physical Sciences students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full FAU Physical Sciences Report
University of Minnesota - Duluth ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools list. UMN Duluth is a medium-sized public school situated in Duluth, Minnesota. It awarded 84 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $18,505 for Physical Sciences students per year to attend UMN Duluth.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Minnesota - Duluth
With a ranking of #23, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools list. Located in Athens, Ohio, this large public school handed out 155 diplomas to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $23,831 for Physical Sciences students per year to attend Ohio University - Athens Campus.
Full Ohio University - Athens Campus Physical Sciences Report
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools list. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a large school located in Edinburg, Texas that handed out 86 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is $3,743 for physical sciences students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Physical Sciences Report
LaGuardia Community College landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools ranking. This fairly large school is located in Long Island City, New York, and it awarded 243 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $7,444 for Physical Sciences students per year to attend LaGuardia.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at LaGuardia Community College
