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2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region

31 Ranked Colleges
2,830 Degrees Awarded
$13,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southwest Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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 the Southwest region, there were 5,739 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,953 and $20,144 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,830 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,896 and $23,899 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region” ranking analyzed 31 colleges that offered a degree in physical sciences. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great physical sciences programs and 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Physical Sciences Schools

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 the Southwest Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences in the Southwest Region

#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas of the Permian Basin. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region. The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is located in Odessa, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

UT Permian Basin did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $10,092 for southwest region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students per year to attend UT Permian Basin.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at UT Permian Basin

#2

MSU Texas

Wichita Falls, Texas
#22 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend MSU Texas. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. MSU Texas is located in Wichita Falls, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

MSU Texas not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $10,045 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students per year to attend MSU Texas.

Read more about Physical Sciences at MSU Texas

#12 in overall quality

Out of the 31 schools in the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Edinburg, Texas, this large public school awarded 52 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

UT Rio Grande Valley also took the #12 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UT Rio Grande Valley is $4,514 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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%.

Full The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Physical Sciences Report

#13 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Central Oklahoma. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. UCO is located in Edmond, Oklahoma and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 45 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

UCO also took the #13 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCO is $16,562 for southwest region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UCO

#5

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, Texas
#17 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Tarleton State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region. Tarleton is a public institution located in Stephenville, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Tarleton also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend Tarleton is $18,979 for southwest region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Tarleton State University

#6

University of Houston

Houston, Texas
#5 in overall quality

University of Houston did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #6. UH is located in Houston, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 111 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UH, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $12,838 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students per year to attend University of Houston.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UH

#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of Houston - Downtown did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. This fairly large school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 40 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UH Downtown did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $6,848 for southwest region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students per year to attend University of Houston - Downtown.

Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Houston - Downtown

#18 in overall quality

The University of Texas at San Antonio came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. The University of Texas at San Antonio is a large public school situated in San Antonio, Texas. It awarded 78 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UTSA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $13,853 for southwest region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students per year to attend The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at UTSA

#11 in overall quality

University of North Texas did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Denton, Texas, this large public school awarded 57 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNT, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $15,086 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students per year to attend UNT.

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

Full University of North Texas Physical Sciences Report

#10

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas
#6 in overall quality

Texas Tech University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Lubbock, Texas, this large public school awarded 107 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

Texas Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $17,571 for southwest region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students per year to attend Texas Tech University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full Texas Tech University Physical Sciences Report

#11

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, Texas
#24 in overall quality

Sam Houston State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. Sam Houston State University is a large school located in Huntsville, Texas that handed out 48 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SHSU, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $14,617 for southwest region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students per year to attend Sam Houston State University.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at SHSU

#12

Texas State University

San Marcos, Texas
#14 in overall quality

Texas State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. Texas State is a public institution located in San Marcos, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Texas State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $15,230 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students per year to attend Texas State University.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Texas State University

#13

Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, Texas
#20 in overall quality

Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. Texas A&M Corpus Christi is a fairly large school located in Corpus Christi, Texas that handed out 30 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students list, Texas A&M Corpus Christi has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $16,332 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students per year to attend Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi.

Full Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi Physical Sciences Report

#14

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Arizona
#25 in overall quality

Northern Arizona University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. NAU is located in Flagstaff, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 144 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

NAU also took the #25 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NAU is $12,915 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Northern Arizona University

#15 in overall quality

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #15. OSU is a large public school situated in Stillwater, Oklahoma. It awarded 35 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

OSU also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $14,648 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students per year to attend Oklahoma State University - Main Campus.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Oklahoma State University - Main Campus

Southeastern Oklahoma State University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. Southeastern Oklahoma State University is located in Durant, Oklahoma and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $8,237 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students per year to attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

Full Southeastern Oklahoma State University Physical Sciences Report

#16 in overall quality

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. Norman, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 125 students in 2019-2020.

University of Oklahoma also made our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for University of Oklahoma is $21,145 for southwest region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Oklahoma

New Mexico State University - Main Campus came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend NMSU Main Campus is $8,659 for southwest region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at New Mexico State University - Main Campus

#19 in overall quality

The University of Texas at Arlington came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. UT Arlington is a public institution located in Arlington, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 79 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Arlington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $14,246 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students per year to attend The University of Texas at Arlington.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at The University of Texas at Arlington

The University of Texas at El Paso ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. UTEP is located in El Paso, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 43 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $8,920 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students per year to attend The University of Texas at El Paso.

Read more about Physical Sciences at The University of Texas at El Paso

#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. This large school is located in Tempe, Arizona, and it awarded 189 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ASU - Tempe, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $11,706 for southwest region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students per year to attend ASU - Tempe.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Arizona State University - Tempe

Stephen F Austin State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Nacogdoches, Texas, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for SFASU is $13,723 for southwest region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Full Stephen F Austin State University Physical Sciences Report

#23

Texas Southern University

Houston, Texas

Texas Southern University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. Located in Houston, Texas, this medium-sized public school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $19,430 for southwest region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students per year to attend TSU.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Texas Southern University

#24

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona
#4 in overall quality

University of Arizona came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. University of Arizona is located in Tucson, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 218 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

University of Arizona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Arizona is $15,016 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Physical Sciences students.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Arizona

#25

University of New Mexico - Main Campus

Albuquerque, New Mexico

University of New Mexico - Main Campus landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. University of New Mexico - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It awarded 57 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,446 for southwest region bachelor’s degree physical sciences students per year to attend University of New Mexico - Main Campus.

Full University of New Mexico - Main Campus 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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