2026 Best Value General Physical Sciences Doctoral Degree Schools
Looking for the best-value General Physical Sciences doctoral degree programs in the United States? This list ranks 209 schools by value — the balance of cost and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. Each school below is scored on factors such as tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the strongest return on investment.
So you can compare your options, Course Advisor analyzed schools to produce this 2026 value ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). View our full ranking methodology.
Top 25 Best-Value General Physical Sciences Doctoral Degree Schools in the United States
Here are the top-ranked schools for value:
For return on investment, no school beat Rochester Institute Of Technology this year in the United States. Rochester Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit school based in Rochester, NY. In-state tuition and fees average $59,210. Typical General Physical Sciences student debt is $27,491. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $76,571. That is a strong return on a $27,491 median debt. Rochester Institute Of Technology has an acceptance rate of 67%. Read the full report on Rochester Institute Of Technology
A rank of #2 makes Wright State University Main Campus one of the best values in the United States. This public school is set in Dayton, OH. In-state tuition and fees average $10,991, with out-of-state students paying around $20,691. Graduates carry a median of $25,836 in student loans. Median earnings reach $49,500 ten years out. Set against $25,836 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Wright State University Main Campus has an acceptance rate of 96%. More on Wright State University Main Campus
You'll get strong value at Saddleback College, which ranked #3 this year. Get the full Saddleback College report
You'll get strong value at St Johns University New York, which ranked #4 this year. More on St Johns University New York
A rank of #5 makes Whatcom Community College one of the best values in the United States. Read more about Whatcom Community College
Alvin Community College offered strong value this year, earning the #6 position. Read more about Alvin Community College
Western New Mexico University offered strong value this year, earning the #7 position. Read more about Western New Mexico University
San Francisco State University landed the #8 spot for value in the United States this year. Read the full report on San Francisco State University
Westfield State University offered strong value this year, earning the #9 position. Read more about Westfield State University
Villanova University landed the #10 spot for value in the United States this year. Read more about Villanova University
Jackson Community College landed the #11 spot for value in the United States this year. See the full Jackson Community College profile
Long Beach City College landed the #12 spot for value in the United States this year. Read the full report on Long Beach City College
Plymouth State University ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best-value General Physical Sciences schools. Read more about Plymouth State University
College Of Marin
College Of Marin ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best-value General Physical Sciences schools. More on College Of Marin
Snow College
Snow College ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best-value General Physical Sciences schools. Get the full Snow College report
College Of The Sequoias landed the #16 spot for value in the United States this year. More on College Of The Sequoias
Seattle Community College South Campus ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best-value General Physical Sciences schools. Get the full Seattle Community College South Campus report
Wesleyan University landed the #18 spot for value in the United States this year. Read the full report on Wesleyan University
Madera Community College ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best-value General Physical Sciences schools. See the full Madera Community College profile
South Puget Sound Community College landed the #20 spot for value in the United States this year. Get the full South Puget Sound Community College report
Herkimer County Community College offered strong value this year, earning the #21 position. See the full Herkimer County Community College profile
Muhlenberg College came in at #22 in this year's value ranking. Read more about Muhlenberg College
Phoenix College
Phoenix College placed #23 among the best-value General Physical Sciences schools in the United States. Get the full Phoenix College report
Carroll Community College ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the best-value General Physical Sciences schools. See the full Carroll Community College profile
Seattle Community College North Campus placed #25 among the best-value General Physical Sciences schools in the United States. See the full Seattle Community College North Campus profile
Rest of the Top 50 Best-Value General Physical Sciences Doctoral Degree Schools in the United States
These schools also delivered strong value this year:
College Of The Siskiyous landed the #26 spot for value in the United States this year. More on College Of The Siskiyous
Cuny New York City College Of Technology placed #27 among the best-value General Physical Sciences schools in the United States. Get the full Cuny New York City College Of Technology report
Butler County Community College offered strong value this year, earning the #28 position. Get the full Butler County Community College report
Black Hills State University placed #29 among the best-value General Physical Sciences schools in the United States. Read the full report on Black Hills State University
Lincoln University Of Pennsylvania came in at #30 in this year's value ranking. Read more about Lincoln University Of Pennsylvania
Pierce College At Fort Steilacoom placed #31 among the best-value General Physical Sciences schools in the United States. Read more about Pierce College At Fort Steilacoom
Green River Community College landed the #32 spot for value in the United States this year. More on Green River Community College
Brigham Young University Hawaii offered strong value this year, earning the #33 position. Read the full report on Brigham Young University Hawaii
Columbia Basin College ranked #34 on our 2026 list of the best-value General Physical Sciences schools. Read the full report on Columbia Basin College
Mesalands Community College placed #35 among the best-value General Physical Sciences schools in the United States. Get the full Mesalands Community College report
Arizona State University offered strong value this year, earning the #36 position. Get the full Arizona State University report
Saint Josephs College Of Maine ranked #37 on our 2026 list of the best-value General Physical Sciences schools. Read the full report on Saint Josephs College Of Maine
Bennington College landed the #38 spot for value in the United States this year. See the full Bennington College profile
Boston University came in at #39 in this year's value ranking. See the full Boston University profile
Glendale Community College Glendale Ca ranked #40 on our 2026 list of the best-value General Physical Sciences schools. Read the full report on Glendale Community College Glendale Ca
Lower Columbia College landed the #41 spot for value in the United States this year. See the full Lower Columbia College profile
University Of New Mexico Los Alamos Campus placed #42 among the best-value General Physical Sciences schools in the United States. Read more about University Of New Mexico Los Alamos Campus
Northern Oklahoma College offered strong value this year, earning the #43 position. Read more about Northern Oklahoma College
Oklahoma Wesleyan University offered strong value this year, earning the #44 position. Read the full report on Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Cuny Laguardia Community College offered strong value this year, earning the #45 position. More on Cuny Laguardia Community College
Santa Fe Community College landed the #46 spot for value in the United States this year. Get the full Santa Fe Community College report
New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology ranked #47 on our 2026 list of the best-value General Physical Sciences schools. More on New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology
Barton County Community College ranked #48 on our 2026 list of the best-value General Physical Sciences schools. Read more about Barton County Community College
Tacoma Community College landed the #49 spot for value in the United States this year. Read the full report on Tacoma Community College
University Of Dayton offered strong value this year, earning the #50 position. Read the full report on University Of Dayton
Related General Physical Sciences Value Rankings
See value rankings for other degree levels:
- Best Value General Physical Sciences Schools (All Levels)
- Best Value General Physical Sciences Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Value General Physical Sciences Undergraduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Value General Physical Sciences Associate’s Degree Schools
- Best Value General Physical Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools
- Best Value General Physical Sciences Graduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Value General Physical Sciences Master’s Degree Schools
Ranking Methodology & Notes
The ranking above is published by Course Advisor (DMS_RANKING_2023), 2026 edition. Rankings consider the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment — drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · Scope: Nation. *Averages shown above reflect the top 209 ranked schools only.
References
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (core institutional data).
- College Scorecard — U.S. Department of Education (graduate earnings and outcomes data).
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