by our College Data Analytics Team
[Physical Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 34 schools to find the best return on investment for physical sciences students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the physical sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.
Grinnell College earned the #1 spot for value among physical sciences schools in Iowa. Located in the town of Grinnell, Grinnell College is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,196. Students borrow a median of $17,154 to complete the physical sciences program here. Early-career physical sciences graduates make about $38,888. Set against $17,154 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 14% of applicants are accepted.
Iowa State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in physical sciences, landing the #2 spot this year. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,787, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Physical Sciences graduates carry a median of $24,173 in student loans. Soon after graduation, physical sciences degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $56,629. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in physical sciences will find it at Coe College, which ranked #3. Coe College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cedar Rapids. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $54,666. Typical student debt for physical sciences graduates is $27,000. Early-career physical sciences graduates make about $44,511. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Coe College admits about 64% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in physical sciences will find it at University Of Iowa, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,283 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Physical Sciences graduates carry a median of $25,956 in student loans. Early-career physical sciences graduates make about $44,847. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
A rank of #5 makes Drake University one of the best values for physical sciences. Set in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $51,960. Students borrow a median of $22,273 to complete the physical sciences program here. Physical Sciences graduates of Drake University earn a median of $56,228 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,273 median debt. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 34 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.