by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2025, College Factual analyzed 244 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Physical Sciences Bachelor's Degree Schools ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 28,585 bachelor's degrees in physical sciences to qualified students.
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The physical sciences bachelor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality physical sciences program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their bachelor's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their bachelor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for physical sciences students working on their bachelor's degree.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Physical Sciences Bachelor's Degree Schools 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in physical sciences. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a wonderful option for individuals pursuing a bachelor's degree in physical sciences. Located in the city of Cambridge, MIT is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
University of Notre Dame is a good choice for students interested in a bachelor's degree in physical sciences. Located in the large suburb of Notre Dame, Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Notre Dame
University of California - San Diego is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in physical sciences. UCSD is a fairly large public university located in the large city of La Jolla.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - San Diego
Johns Hopkins University is a great option for individuals pursuing a bachelor's degree in physical sciences. Johns Hopkins is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Baltimore.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Johns Hopkins University
UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the city of Berkeley.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - Berkeley
Located in the midsize suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - Santa Barbara
Located in the city of Bethlehem, Lehigh is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Lehigh University
UC Irvine is a fairly large public university located in the city of Irvine.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - Irvine
Located in the suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - Davis
RPI is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Troy.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
U-M is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Ann Arbor.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Boston College is a fairly large private not-for-profit college located in the city of Chestnut Hill.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Boston College
Located in the city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Wisconsin - Madison
Located in the large city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Located in the large city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Duke University
Located in the city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Columbia University in the City of New York
Located in the large city of Tucson, University of Arizona is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Arizona
Located in the midsize city of Rochester, University of Rochester is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Rochester
UNC Chapel Hill is a very large public university located in the small city of Chapel Hill.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Located in the midsize suburb of Charlottesville, University of Virginia is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Virginia - Main Campus
Cornell is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Ithaca.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Cornell University
Located in the medium-sized city of College Station, Texas A&M College Station is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from Texas A&M University - College Station
Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Pitt is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus
Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - Los Angeles
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Physical Sciences Bachelor's Degree Schools award.
View the Best Physical Sciences Bachelor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 13,247 |
| Physics | 7,715 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 5,022 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 1,035 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 828 |
| General Physical Sciences | 356 |
| Other Physical Science | 192 |
| Materials Sciences | 166 |
| Physics and Astronomy | 24 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Biological & Biomedical Sciences | 135,792 |
| Engineering | 121,318 |
| Mathematics & Statistics | 29,912 |
| Natural Resources & Conservation | 22,202 |
| Agriculture & Agriculture Operations | 21,049 |
| Engineering Technologies | 17,824 |
| Architecture & Related Services | 10,337 |
| Military Technologies & Applied Sciences | 1,642 |
| Science Technologies / Technicians | 408 |
