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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences

364 Ranked Colleges
6,875 Degrees Awarded
$63,256 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Physical Sciences is the 19th most popular major in the country with 49,473 degrees awarded in 2021-2022. 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.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 6,875 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,979 and $43,370 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major” ranking looked at 364 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in physical sciences. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their physical sciences program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Physical Sciences Schools

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. 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.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major

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

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Physical Sciences

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major 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 41 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 99%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Caltech

2

Out of the 364 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major that were part of this year’s ranking, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. New Mexico Tech is a small school located in Socorro, New Mexico that handed out 12 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 New Mexico Tech

3
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Princeton University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major list. Princeton is a medium-sized school located in Princeton, New Jersey that handed out 72 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

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 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Princeton University

4
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Colorado School of Mines. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major list. Located in Golden, Colorado, this medium-sized public school handed out 45 degrees to qualified masters’s physical sciences students in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Colorado School of Mines

5
The Graduate Center crest
The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The Graduate Center, CUNY. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major. The Graduate Center is a medium-sized public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 35 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at The Graduate Center, CUNY

6

Montana Technological University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major ranking. This small school is located in Butte, Montana, and it awarded 9 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Montana Technological University

7
University of Rochester crest
University of Rochester
Rochester, New York

University of Rochester came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major ranking. This fairly large school is located in Rochester, New York, and it awarded 80 masters’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 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 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of Rochester

8
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major list. Brown University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Providence, Rhode Island. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 49 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 98%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Brown

9
Mississippi State crest
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi

Mississippi State University ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major list. This large school is located in Mississippi State, Mississippi, and it awarded 94 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Mississippi State University Physical Sciences Report

10
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

With a ranking of #10, Yale University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major list. Yale is located in New Haven, Connecticut and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 79 masters’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Yale

11
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

Johns Hopkins University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major ranking. This large school is located in Baltimore, Maryland, and it awarded 168 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Johns Hopkins University

12
UO crest
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

University of Oregon landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major ranking. UO is a large school located in Eugene, Oregon that handed out 50 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at UO

13
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

Rice University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major ranking. Rice University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 40 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full Rice University Physical Sciences Report

14

University of Alaska Fairbanks came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major ranking. University of Alaska Fairbanks is a public institution located in Fairbanks, Alaska. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 10 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at UAF

15

Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #15. AFIT Graduate School of Engineering & Management is a public institution located in Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management

16
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major ranking. Carnegie Mellon is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 45 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.1% 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%. 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 more about Physical Sciences at Carnegie Mellon

17
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #17. UChicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 113 masters’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 99%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of Chicago

18
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major ranking, coming in at #18. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 51 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, 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 98%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Stanford University

19

With a ranking of #19, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major list. SD Mines is a small public school situated in Rapid City, South Dakota. It awarded 12 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at SD Mines

20

University of Akron Main Campus landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major ranking. Akron, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physical sciences degrees to 16 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Akron Main Campus Physical Sciences Report

21
University of Tulsa crest
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma

University of Tulsa landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major ranking. University of Tulsa is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It awarded 5 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at University of Tulsa

22

Illinois Institute of Technology ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 20 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, 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 full report on Physical Sciences at Illinois Institute of Technology

23

University of North Carolina at Wilmington ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major list. University of North Carolina at Wilmington is a fairly large public school situated in Wilmington, North Carolina. It awarded 46 masters’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full UNCW Physical Sciences Report

24

Michigan Technological University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major ranking. Michigan Technological University is a public institution located in Houghton, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 23 masters’s 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Michigan Technological University

25
Lewis crest
Lewis University
Romeoville, Illinois

Lewis University ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major list. Lewis is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Romeoville, Illinois. It awarded 4 masters’s physical sciences degrees 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 more about Physical Sciences at Lewis

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

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Wesleyan U crest
Wesleyan University
Middletown, CT
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Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51University of Southern MississippiHattiesburg, MS
52Lehigh UniversityBethlehem, PA
53University of Hawaii at ManoaHonolulu, HI
54North Carolina Central UniversityDurham, NC
55Furman UniversityGreenville, SC

Notes and References

References

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