by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 39 schools in the Far Western US Region to determine which ones were the best for physical sciences students pursuing a bachelor's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 5,205 bachelor's degrees in physical sciences during the 2022-2023 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
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 complete 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 in the Far Western US 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. 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.
University of California - San Diego is one of the best schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in physical sciences. UCSD is a fairly large public university located in the city of La Jolla.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - San Diego
University of California - Berkeley is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in physical sciences. UC Berkeley is a very large public university located in the city of Berkeley.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - Berkeley
It is difficult to beat University of California - Santa Barbara if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in physical sciences. Located in the suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - Santa Barbara
University of California - Irvine is a good decision for students pursuing a bachelor's degree in physical sciences. UC Irvine is a very 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 small 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
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
Located in the city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of Washington - Seattle Campus
UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large public university located in the city of Santa Cruz.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from University of California - Santa Cruz
SDSU is a fairly large public university located in the city of San Diego.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from San Diego State University
Located in the small suburb of San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in physical sciences from California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
Explore the best physical sciences colleges for a specific state in the Far Western US Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| California | 37 | 3,929 |
| Washington | 34 | 955 |
| Hawaii | 30 | 60 |
| Oregon | 30 | 388 |
| Nevada | 30 | 131 |
| Alaska | 29 | 29 |
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 2,174 |
| Physics | 1,570 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 1,044 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 192 |
| General Physical Sciences | 91 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 83 |
| Materials Sciences | 41 |
| Other Physical Science | 10 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Biological & Biomedical Sciences | 21,561 |
| Engineering | 18,709 |
| Mathematics & Statistics | 6,132 |
| Natural Resources & Conservation | 4,746 |
| Agriculture & Agriculture Operations | 2,523 |
| Architecture & Related Services | 1,705 |
| Engineering Technologies | 1,480 |
| Science Technologies / Technicians | 22 |
| Military Technologies & Applied Sciences | 2 |
