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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Physical Sciences in the Plains States Region

166 Ranked Colleges
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Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 the Plains States region, there were 2,897 physical sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,796 and $22,878 respectively.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region” ranking looked at 166 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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 Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest 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 Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region physical sciences students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Physical Sciences in the Plains States Region

1
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Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Carleton College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region list. Carleton College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northfield, Minnesota. It awarded 79 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Carleton College

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Morris. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region. Morris, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physical sciences degrees to 28 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UMN Morris Physical Sciences Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region. This small school is located in Rapid City, South Dakota, and it awarded 37 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full SD Mines Physical Sciences Report

4
Coe crest
Coe College
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Coe College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region list. Coe is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 ’s 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%. 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.

Full Coe College Physical Sciences Report

5
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Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Grinnell College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region list. This small school is located in Grinnell, Iowa, and it awarded 35 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

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 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 impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Grinnell College Physical Sciences Report

6
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Macalester College
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Macalester College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Macalester College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 48 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 Macalester

7
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St Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota

St Olaf College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #7. This small school is located in Northfield, Minnesota, and it awarded 47 ’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 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%.

Full St Olaf College Physical Sciences Report

8
Presentation College crest
Presentation College
Aberdeen, South Dakota

Presentation College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #8. This small school is located in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and it awarded 4 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

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 full report on Physical Sciences at Presentation College

9
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Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, Minnesota

Gustavus Adolphus College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Saint Peter, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 40 degrees to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2021-2022.

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 Gustavus Adolphus College

10

Central Methodist University - College of Liberal Arts & Sciences did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #10. CMU CLAS is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fayette, Missouri. It awarded 1 ’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%.

Full Central Methodist University - College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Physical Sciences Report

11
Central crest
Central College
Pella, Iowa

Central College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Central College is a small school located in Pella, Iowa that handed out 3 ’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 Central Physical Sciences Report

12

Concordia College at Moorhead did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12. Moorhead, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s physical sciences degrees to 16 students in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Concordia College Moorhead

13

University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking. University of Minnesota - Duluth is located in Duluth, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 73 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

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%.

Full UMN Duluth Physical Sciences Report

14
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Luther College
Decorah, Iowa

Luther College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Luther is a private not-for-profit institution located in Decorah, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 Luther College Physical Sciences Report

15

University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Kansas City, Missouri, this fairly large public school handed out 98 diplomas to qualified ’s physical sciences students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Missouri - Kansas City Physical Sciences Report

16

Kansas Wesleyan University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Salina, Kansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s physical sciences degrees to 9 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at Kansas Wesleyan University

17
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Saint Johns University
Collegeville, Minnesota

Saint Johns University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Saint Johns University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Collegeville, Minnesota. It awarded 11 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, 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 SJU

18
Drury University crest
Drury University
Springfield, Missouri

Drury University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Drury University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Springfield, Missouri. It awarded 15 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 full report on Physical Sciences at Drury University

19
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College of Saint Benedict
Saint Joseph, Minnesota

College of Saint Benedict landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Saint Joseph, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s physical sciences degrees to 5 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%. 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 full report on Physical Sciences at College of Saint Benedict

20
Cornell College crest
Cornell College
Mount Vernon, Iowa

Cornell College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Cornell College is a small school located in Mount Vernon, Iowa that handed out 18 ’s physical sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 full report on Physical Sciences at Cornell College

21

Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a public institution located in Rolla, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 77 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, 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 Missouri University of Science and Technology

22
Bethel University Minnesota crest
Bethel University Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Bethel University Minnesota landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Bethel University Minnesota is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 28 ’s physical sciences degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 Bethel University Minnesota

23
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Wayne State College
Wayne, Nebraska

Wayne State College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Wayne State College is a public institution located in Wayne, Nebraska. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 ’s 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%.

Read more about Physical Sciences at WSC

24
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Black Hills State University
Spearfish, South Dakota

Black Hills State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #24. Spearfish, South Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s physical sciences degrees to 17 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at BHSU

25

With a ranking of #25, Westminster College Missouri did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physical Sciences Major in the Plains States Region list. Westminster Fulton is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fulton, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 ’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%.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Westminster Fulton

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