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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in California

30 Ranked Colleges
3,891 Degrees Awarded
$8,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's in California 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 a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Physical Sciences is the 18th most popular major in the country with 52,879 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. 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 California, there were 8,509 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,072 and $18,572 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,891 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 30 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in physical sciences. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality physical sciences programs that also have a lower cost than 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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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 a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in California

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 67 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Stanford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Stanford University is $1,145 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Stanford University

#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UC Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 377 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley also took the #3 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Berkeley is $9,130 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at University of California - Berkeley

#3

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #3 spot on the list. California Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 50 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Caltech has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $3,756 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Caltech.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California Institute of Technology Physical Sciences Report

#24 in overall quality

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Los Angeles landed the #4 spot on the list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 50 students in 2019-2020.

Cal State LA also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Los Angeles is $2,117 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at California State University - Los Angeles

#16 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fullerton. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Fullerton, California, and it awarded 98 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal State Fullerton also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fullerton is $6,100 for california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at California State University - Fullerton

#6

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#5 in overall quality

University of California - Los Angeles ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of California - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 188 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCLA is $9,254 for california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of California - Los Angeles Physical Sciences Report

#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UC Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 255 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend UC Irvine is $10,373 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low 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 94%.

Full UC Irvine Physical Sciences Report

#8

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#4 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school handed out 330 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSB, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $11,895 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCSB.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Santa Barbara Physical Sciences Report

#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UCR is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 105 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCR, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCR is $9,151 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UCR Physical Sciences Report

#10

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#10 in overall quality

San Diego State University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school handed out 140 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, SDSU has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $10,594 for california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend San Diego State University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at San Diego State University

#18 in overall quality

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. California State University - Long Beach is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 97 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB also took the #18 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $7,595 for california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Long Beach.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at California State University - Long Beach

#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, California State University - Bakersfield did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Bakersfield, California, and it awarded 39 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend CSUB is $3,880 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full CSUB Physical Sciences Report

#6 in overall quality

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. University of California - Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 148 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

UC Davis also took the #6 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $10,769 for california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UC Davis.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of California - Davis

#8 in overall quality

University of California - San Diego came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 366 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - San Diego is $9,974 for california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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%.

Full UCSD Physical Sciences Report

#19 in overall quality

California State University - Sacramento landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 74 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Sac State also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #19. It costs about $7,823 for california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Sac State

California State University - Dominguez Hills landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Carson, California, this fairly large public school handed out 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for CSUDH is $3,115 for california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 California State University - Dominguez Hills Physical Sciences Report

#17

California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino, California
#25 in overall quality

California State University - San Bernardino did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. CSUSB is located in San Bernardino, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 102 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, CSUSB has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - San Bernardino is $5,869 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at California State University - San Bernardino

#15 in overall quality

California State University - San Marcos did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. CSUSM is a public institution located in San Marcos, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUSM also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for CSUSM is $10,347 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at California State University - San Marcos

California State University - Fresno ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school handed out 55 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Fresno State is $3,731 for california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full California State University - Fresno Physical Sciences Report

#20

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 206 students in 2019-2020.

UC Santa Cruz also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Santa Cruz is $11,793 for california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 University of California - Santa Cruz Physical Sciences Report

California State University - Stanislaus came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Turlock, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 35 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Stan State is $3,958 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Physical Sciences at California State University - Stanislaus

#9 in overall quality

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #22. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 102 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is $14,680 for california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

#20 in overall quality

University of California - Merced did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. UC Merced is a public institution located in Merced, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 65 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, UC Merced has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Merced is $11,565 for california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Merced Physical Sciences Report

#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #24, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cal Poly Pomona is a large school located in Pomona, California that handed out 122 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Cal Poly Pomona has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $9,630 for california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

#17 in overall quality

California State University - Channel Islands ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. CSUCI is a public institution located in Camarillo, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 51 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUCI also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. It costs about $11,497 for California Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Channel Islands.

The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%.

Full California State University - Channel Islands Physical Sciences Report

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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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