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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences in California

67 Ranked Colleges
3,800 Degrees Awarded
$37,424 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2021-2022, 49,473 people earned their degree in physical sciences, making the major the 19th most popular in the United States. In , physical sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $40,118 and had an average of $21,983 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 8,070 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $43,416 and $17,594 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,800 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,904 and $19,503 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California” ranking analyzed 67 colleges that offered a degree in physical sciences. That schools that top this list have a program in physical sciences in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most 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.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree physical sciences students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences in California

1
Pomona crest
Pomona College
Claremont, California

Out of the 67 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Pomona College landed the #1 spot on the list. Pomona College is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Pomona

2
Harvey Mudd College crest
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harvey Mudd College. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California. Harvey Mudd College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 30 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Harvey Mudd College

3

Out of the 67 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #3 spot on the list. Pasadena, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 43 students in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 99%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at California Institute of Technology

4
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Occidental College
Los Angeles, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Occidental College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. Occidental College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 22 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Oxy Physical Sciences Report

5
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Westmont College
Santa Barbara, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Westmont College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 18 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national 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.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Westmont

6

University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. University of California - Santa Cruz is a fairly large school located in Santa Cruz, California that handed out 212 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad 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 89%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at UC Santa Cruz

7

University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. UCSB is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 314 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of California - Santa Barbara

8

University of California - Merced ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. This medium-sized school is located in Merced, California, and it awarded 69 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UC Merced Physical Sciences Report

9

University of California - San Diego ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. Located in La Jolla, California, this large public school handed out 435 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UCSD

10
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Scripps College
Claremont, California

With a ranking of #10, Scripps College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. Scripps is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 7 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Scripps

11
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Pitzer College
Claremont, California

Pitzer College ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Pitzer

12
Whittier crest
Whittier College
Whittier, California

Whittier College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. Whittier College is located in Whittier, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Whittier Physical Sciences Report

13
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

Humboldt State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking, coming in at #13. Humboldt State University is a public institution located in Arcata, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 75 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Humboldt State University

14
Claremont McKenna crest
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, California

Claremont McKenna College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. Claremont McKenna is a private not-for-profit institution located in Claremont, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Claremont McKenna

15

University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking, coming in at #15. University of California - Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 326 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. 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

16

University of California - Irvine did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking, coming in at #16. University of California - Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 241 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UC Irvine

17
University of Saint Katherine crest
University of Saint Katherine
San Marcos, California

University of Saint Katherine landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. This small school is located in San Marcos, California, and it awarded 0 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of Saint Katherine

18

University of California - Riverside landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. Riverside, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 103 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Physical Sciences at University of California - Riverside

19

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 100 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

20
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Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, California

Sonoma State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. Rohnert Park, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physical sciences degrees to 45 students in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Sonoma State University

21

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. This large school is located in Pomona, California, and it awarded 132 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, 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 88%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

22
PUC crest
Pacific Union College
Angwin, California

Pacific Union College ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California list. Pacific Union College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Angwin, California. It awarded 2 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 Pacific Union College Physical Sciences Report

23

Dominican University of California did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking, coming in at #23. DUofC is a small school located in San Rafael, California that handed out 8 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at DUofC

24
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 76 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physical sciences students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Stanford

25

University of California - Davis came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in California ranking. UC Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 150 bachelors’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UC Davis

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