2025 Best Physical Sciences Schools in California
21
Colleges in California
8,070
Physical Sciences Degrees Awarded
$47,003
Avg Early-Career Salary
When it comes to popularity,
physical sciences sits in the middle of the road, ranking #19 out of 38 majors in the country. So, you may have to do some digging around to find quality schools that offer the degree program. This list can help with that.
College Factual looked at 21 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Physical Sciences Schools in California ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 8,070 degrees in physical sciences to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great Physical Sciences School
Your choice of physical sciences school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall Physical Sciences School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Physical Sciences Rankings by Degree Level
The physical sciences school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Physical Sciences Schools in California.
More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you.
Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Read more about College Factual's methodology.
Best Schools for Physical Sciences in California
The schools below may not offer all types of physical sciences degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer.
10 Top California Schools in Physical Sciences
University of California - Berkeley is a wonderful option for students pursuing a degree in physical sciences. UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.
There were about 547 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the physical sciences major at University of California - Berkeley make $23,907 above the standard graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a degree in physical sciences from University of California - Berkeley
University of California - Santa Barbara is a great decision for students pursuing a degree in physical sciences. Located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #47 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UCSB is a great university overall.
There were about 431 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the physical sciences program state that they receive average early career income of $45,852.
More information about a degree in physical sciences from University of California - Santa Barbara
University of California - San Diego is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in physical sciences. UCSD is a very large public university located in the large city of La Jolla. A Best Colleges rank of #49 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UCSD is a great university overall.
There were approximately 628 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent year we have data available. Physical Sciences degree recipients from University of California - San Diego get an earnings boost of approximately $7,555 over the typical earnings of physical sciences majors.
More information about a degree in physical sciences from University of California - San Diego
It's hard to beat University of California - Irvine if you wish to pursue a degree in physical sciences. UC Irvine is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Irvine. A Best Colleges rank of #73 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UC Irvine is a great university overall.
There were approximately 350 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at UC Irvine in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the physical sciences degree program at University of California - Irvine earn $3,738 more than the typical graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
More information about a degree 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. A Best Colleges rank of #55 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UC Davis is a great university overall.
There were roughly 243 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the physical sciences program make an average of $47,719 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a degree in physical sciences from University of California - Davis
Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #28 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UCLA is a great university overall.
There were roughly 390 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent data year. Physical Sciences degree recipients from University of California - Los Angeles earn a boost of about $13,089 above the average income of physical sciences majors.
More information about a degree in physical sciences from University of California - Los Angeles
UC Santa Cruz is a large public university located in the small city of Santa Cruz. A Best Colleges rank of #91 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UC Santa Cruz is a great university overall.
There were roughly 275 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at UC Santa Cruz in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the physical sciences program make about $40,709 for their early career.
More information about a degree in physical sciences from University of California - Santa Cruz
SDSU is a very large public university located in the city of San Diego. A Best Colleges rank of #185 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means SDSU is a great university overall.
There were roughly 186 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at SDSU in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the physical sciences program report average early career earnings of $42,832.
More information about a degree in physical sciences from San Diego State University
Located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #165 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a great university overall.
There were roughly 103 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the physical sciences program report average early career income of $48,489.
More information about a degree in physical sciences from California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
SFSU is a very large public university located in the city of San Francisco. This university ranks 30th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were approximately 66 physical sciences students who graduated with this degree at SFSU in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduation, physical sciences degree recipients usually earn about $44,140 in their early careers.
More information about a degree in physical sciences from San Francisco State University
