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Best Value Physical Sciences Master's Degree Schools

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2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Master's Degree Schools

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

150 Colleges
$17,163 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$63,256 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Physical Sciences Master's Degree School for You

In 2020-2021, 12,705 people earned a degree or certificate in physical sciences, making the major the #16 most popular in the United States.

There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

The Best Value Physical Sciences Master's Degree Schools ranking is one of many tools that Grad Degree Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 150 schools in the United States to see which master's degree programs offered the best value experiences for physical sciences students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.

Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the United States

Check out the physical sciences master's degree programs at these schools if you want to get the best value for your educational dollar.

Top 15% Best Physical Sciences Master's Degree Schools

Our analysis found Brigham Young University - Provo to be the best value school for physical sciences students who want to pursue a master’s degree in the United States. Located in the medium-sized city of Provo, BYU is a private not-for-profit school with a very large student population.

BYU graduate students pay an average of $7,700 in tuition and fees each year.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, BYU also is in the top 20% of our Best Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools ranking.

Full Physical Sciences at Brigham Young University - Provo Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Illinois State University. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools list. Illinois State is a very large public school located in the suburb of Normal.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Illinois State are $11,773 a year.

Illinois State also claimed a spot on our Best Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.

Full Physical Sciences at Illinois State University Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Texas A&M University - Kingsville. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools list. Texas A&M Kingsville is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Kingsville.

Texas A&M Kingsville graduate students pay an average of $14,344 in tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Texas A&M University - Kingsville

The excellent master’s degree programs at Western Illinois University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best value physical sciences schools in the United States. Located in the town of Macomb, WIU is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at WIU are $12,182 per year.

Read More…

#5

University of Wyoming

Laramie, WY

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means University of Wyoming is a great value for physical sciences students working on their master’s degree. UW is a fairly large public school located in the remote town of Laramie.

UW graduate students pay an average of $17,569 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Physical Sciences at University of Wyoming Report

#6

University of Houston

Houston, TX

With a ranking of #6, University of Houston did quite well on this year’s best value schools for physical sciences students working on their master’s degree. UH is a very large public school located in the large city of Houston.

UH graduate students pay an average of $18,871 in tuition and fees each year.

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University of Delaware ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools list. Located in the suburb of Newark, UD is a public college with a very large student population.

UD graduate students pay an average of $18,128 in tuition and fees each year.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, UD also did well on our Best Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full Physical Sciences at University of Delaware Report

#8

Montclair State University

Montclair, NJ

Montclair State University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value master’s degree physical sciences programs. Located in the large suburb of Montclair, Montclair State is a public school with a fairly large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Montclair State are $13,519 a year.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Montclair State University

With a ranking of #9, Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well on this year’s best value schools for physical sciences students working on their master’s degree. Located in the medium-sized city of Springfield, Missouri State is a public college with a fairly large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Missouri State are $12,618 a year.

Full Physical Sciences at Missouri State University - Springfield Report

The University of Texas at Austin did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for physical sciences students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #10 on the list. Located in the city of Austin, UT Austin is a public school with a fairly large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at UT Austin are $22,944 a year.

UT Austin also claimed a spot on our Best Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin

Northern Illinois University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools list. NIU is a fairly large public school located in the small suburb of Dekalb.

NIU graduate students pay an average of $11,390 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Physical Sciences at Northern Illinois University Report

#12

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX

With a ranking of #12, Texas Tech University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for physical sciences students working on their master’s degree. Located in the large city of Lubbock, Texas Tech is a public school with a fairly large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Texas Tech are $17,698 per year.

Full Physical Sciences at Texas Tech University Report

University of North Texas landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value master’s degree physical sciences programs. UNT is a very large public school located in the medium-sized city of Denton.

Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at UNT are $15,600 per year.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of North Texas

Illinois Institute of Technology landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value master’s degree physical sciences programs. Located in the city of Chicago, Illinois Tech is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Illinois Tech are $30,822 a year.

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The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the medium-sized city of Edinburg, UT Rio Grande Valley is a public college with a very large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at UT Rio Grande Valley are $15,677 a year.

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California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools list. Cal Poly Pomona is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Pomona.

Cal Poly Pomona graduate students pay an average of $18,377 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Physical Sciences at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Report

With a ranking of #17, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on this year’s best value schools for physical sciences students working on their master’s degree. Located in the distant town of Athens, OHIO Athens is a public school with a fairly large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at OHIO Athens are $17,712 per year.

Read More…

California State University - Sacramento came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools ranking. Sac State is a very large public school located in the large city of Sacramento.

Sac State graduate students pay an average of $18,330 in tuition and fees each year.

Read More…

#19

Wichita State University

Wichita, KS

Wichita State University landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value master’s degree physical sciences programs. WSU is a large public school located in the large city of Wichita.

WSU graduate students pay an average of $15,323 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Physical Sciences at Wichita State University Report

#20

Northeastern University

Boston, MA

Northeastern University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for physical sciences students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #20 on the list. Northeastern is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Boston.

Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Northeastern are $26,095 per year.

Northeastern also claimed a spot on our Best Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.

Read More…

California State University - Long Beach came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the city of Long Beach, CSULB is a public school with a very large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at CSULB are $17,784 a year.

Read More…

With a ranking of #22, University of Akron Main Campus did quite well on this year’s best value schools for physical sciences students working on their master’s degree. Located in the medium-sized city of Akron, University of Akron Main Campus is a public college with a large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at University of Akron Main Campus are $11,936 a year.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of Akron Main Campus

Additional Noteworthy Schools

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Value Physical Sciences Master's Degree Schools award.

Rank College Location
23 Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX
24 Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Bowling Green, OH
25 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
26 University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV
26 University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI
28 Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK
29 Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL
30 East Carolina University Greenville, NC

Physical Sciences by Region

View the Best Value Physical Sciences Master's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Great Lakes

Physical Sciences Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Chemistry 5,005
Physics 3,727
Geological & Earth Sciences 2,491
Materials Sciences 448
Astronomy & Astrophysics 371
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology 342
Other Physical Science 191
General Physical Sciences 107
Physics and Astronomy 23

Majors Similar to Physical Sciences

Related Major Annual Graduates
Engineering 61,791
Computer & Information Sciences 60,971
Biological & Biomedical Sciences 28,851
Mathematics & Statistics 15,127
Engineering Technologies 7,672

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to NASA.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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