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2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region

7 Ranked Colleges
1,460 Degrees Awarded
$8,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 52,879 people earned their degree in physical sciences, making the major the 18th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, physical sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $38,122 and had an average of $22,339 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southwest region, there were 5,739 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,953 and $20,144 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 1,460 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,605 and $16,886 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 7 colleges that offer 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

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region associate degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 7 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region

#1

Oklahoma City Community College

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Oklahoma City Community College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Oklahoma City Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It awarded 17 associates’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

OCCC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Physical Sciences Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $5,981 for southwest region associate degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Oklahoma City Community College.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Oklahoma City Community College

#2

Glendale Community College

Glendale, Arizona
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Glendale Community College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Glendale, Arizona, this fairly large public school handed out 207 diplomas to qualified associates’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

Glendale Community College also took the #1 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $8,465 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Glendale Community College.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Glendale Community College

#3

Mesa Community College

Mesa, Arizona
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Mesa Community College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k. This fairly large school is located in Mesa, Arizona, and it awarded 198 associates’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Mesa Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Physical Sciences Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Mesa Community College is $9,317 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Mesa Community College

#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of New Mexico - Gallup Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of New Mexico - Gallup Campus is located in Gallup, New Mexico and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 associates’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNM Gallup has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of New Mexico - Gallup Campus is $6,771 for southwest region associate degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full University of New Mexico - Gallup Campus Physical Sciences Report

#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of New Mexico - Valencia County Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Los Lunas, New Mexico is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s physical sciences degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNM Valencia has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of New Mexico - Valencia County Campus is $7,805 for southwest region associate degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UNM Valencia

#6

University of New Mexico - Taos Campus

Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico
#4 in overall quality

University of New Mexico - Taos Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. UNM Taos is a public institution located in Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UNM Taos also took the #4 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNM Taos is $8,844 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of New Mexico - Taos Campus

#7 in overall quality

University of New Mexico - Los Alamos Campus came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Los Alamos, New Mexico is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s physical sciences degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNM Los Alamos has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNM Los Alamos is $11,309 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at UNM Los Alamos

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to NASA.

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