2023 Best Value Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $75-$110k) in California
21
Ranked Colleges
8,381
Degrees Awarded
$18,200
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Physical Sciences is the 19th most popular major in the country with 50,306 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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.
Across California, there were 8,381 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $43,416 and $18,590 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 21 colleges that offer a degree in physical sciences. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality physical sciences programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the physical sciences program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
More Ways to Rank Physical Sciences Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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 in California For Those Making $75-$110k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k.
Top 21 Best Value Colleges for Physical Sciences (Income $75-$110k) in California
Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 243 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
Stanford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Stanford University is $13,623 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, 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 Stanford Physical Sciences Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. This small school is located in Pasadena, California, and it awarded 143 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k list, Caltech has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Caltech is $20,010 for california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at California Institute of Technology
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Davis. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. UC Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 270 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k list, UC Davis has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Davis is $18,728 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at University of California - Davis
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school handed out 560 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
UC Berkeley also made our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend UC Berkeley is $21,601 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 UC Berkeley Physical Sciences Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of California - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 371 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k list, UCLA has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Los Angeles is $20,697 for california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at UCLA
University of California - San Diego landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physical sciences degrees to 598 students in 2020-2021.
UCSD also made our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $20,906 for california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad 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%.
Full University of California - San Diego Physical Sciences Report
California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #7. California State University - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 63 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State LA, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal State LA is $10,011 for california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at California State University - Los Angeles
With a ranking of #8, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. CSULB is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 120 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k list, CSULB has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $15,101 for california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend CSULB.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, 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 undergraduate students.
Full CSULB Physical Sciences Report
University of California - Irvine came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UC Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 367 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Irvine also took the #6 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $20,567 for california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of California - Irvine.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of California - Irvine Physical Sciences Report
California State University - Fullerton came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Cal State Fullerton is a large public school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 93 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal State Fullerton also made our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $12,977 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Cal State Fullerton.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at California State University - Fullerton
University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of California - Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 400 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
UCSB also made our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Santa Barbara is $21,581 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 California - Santa Barbara
San Diego State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #12. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school awarded 167 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
SDSU also took the #10 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $18,957 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at San Diego State University
University of California - Riverside landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school handed out 225 diplomas to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2020-2021.
UCR also took the #11 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCR is $16,887 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%.
Full UCR Physical Sciences Report
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a large school located in Pomona, California that handed out 131 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly Pomona did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list. It costs about $18,166 for california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad 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%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
California State University - Sacramento landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 80 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Sac State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list. It costs about $16,925 for california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.
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 California State University - Sacramento Physical Sciences Report
California State University - San Bernardino landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. CSUSB is a fairly large school located in San Bernardino, California that handed out 61 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
CSUSB also made our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend California State University - San Bernardino is $14,338 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full CSUSB Physical Sciences Report
California State University - Northridge ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. CSUN is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 83 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.
CSUN also took the #19 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $15,380 for california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at CSUN
University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of California - Santa Cruz is a fairly large school located in Santa Cruz, California that handed out 343 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Santa Cruz also took the #9 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Santa Cruz is $22,380 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at UC Santa Cruz
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physical sciences degrees to 120 students in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also took the #12 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $22,744 for california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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%.
Read more about Physical Sciences at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
University of California - Merced came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of California - Merced is a medium-sized public school situated in Merced, California. It awarded 92 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california physical sciences students whose families make $75-$110k list, UC Merced has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Merced is $19,795 for California Physical Sciences students whose families make $75-$110k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 UC Merced
