Find Affordable College Courses

What Do You Want to Study?

2026 Best Value Other Physical Sciences Doctoral Degree Schools

2026 Best Value Other Physical Sciences Doctoral Degree Schools

Looking for the best-value Other Physical Sciences doctoral degree programs in the United States? This list ranks 49 schools by value — the balance of cost and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. Our scores reflect factors such as tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the strongest return on investment.

To arm you with the information you need, Course Advisor evaluated schools to compile 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 Other Physical Sciences Doctoral Degree Schools in the United States

Learn more about these high-value schools below:

For return on investment, no school beat University Of North Carolina At Charlotte this year in the United States. University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a public school based in Charlotte, NC. In-state tuition and fees average $7,239, while out-of-state students pay about $22,492. Typical Other Physical Sciences student debt is $24,673. Median earnings reach $57,289 ten years out. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. About 80% of those who apply are admitted. Read more about University Of North Carolina At Charlotte

Out of the 49 schools in the United States in this year's value ranking, North Carolina State University At Raleigh landed the #2 spot. This public school is set in Raleigh, NC. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,799, compared with $32,847 for out-of-state students. North Carolina State University At Raleigh Other Physical Sciences students take on a median of $22,113 in debt. Graduates go on to earn a median of $68,758 ten years after entry. That is a strong return on a $22,113 median debt. About 42% of those who apply are admitted. Get the full North Carolina State University At Raleigh report

A rank of #3 makes University Of California San Diego one of the best values in the United States. University Of California San Diego is a public school based in La Jolla, CA. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,788, compared with $47,676 for out-of-state students. Graduates carry a median of $17,101 in student loans. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $84,943. Set against $17,101 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of California San Diego has an acceptance rate of 27%. More on University Of California San Diego

A rank of #4 makes University Of Mary Washington one of the best values in the United States. More on University Of Mary Washington

You'll get strong value at Northwest State Community College, which ranked #5 this year. More on Northwest State Community College

Benedict College placed #6 among the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools in the United States. More on Benedict College

Eastern Oklahoma State College ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools. See the full Eastern Oklahoma State College profile

Carnegie Mellon University offered strong value this year, earning the #8 position. Read more about Carnegie Mellon University

Stevens Institute Of Technology offered strong value this year, earning the #9 position. Get the full Stevens Institute Of Technology report

Johns Hopkins University came in at #10 in this year's value ranking. More on Johns Hopkins University

University Of California Davis landed the #11 spot for value in the United States this year. More on University Of California Davis

Olivet Nazarene University placed #12 among the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools in the United States. Read the full report on Olivet Nazarene University

Suny Empire State College placed #13 among the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools in the United States. More on Suny Empire State College

North Carolina A And T State University placed #14 among the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools in the United States. More on North Carolina A And T State University

Old Dominion University ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools. More on Old Dominion University

Susquehanna University came in at #16 in this year's value ranking. Get the full Susquehanna University report

Black Hills State University came in at #17 in this year's value ranking. Get the full Black Hills State University report

University Of North Carolina At Greensboro ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools. More on University Of North Carolina At Greensboro

Cuny Graduate School And University Center ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools. Read the full report on Cuny Graduate School And University Center

Wayne State University came in at #20 in this year's value ranking. Get the full Wayne State University report

Iona College came in at #21 in this year's value ranking. Get the full Iona College report

Wichita State University offered strong value this year, earning the #22 position. Get the full Wichita State University report

Hobart William Smith Colleges placed #23 among the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools in the United States. Read the full report on Hobart William Smith Colleges

University Of South Carolina Columbia ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools. Read more about University Of South Carolina Columbia

Frostburg State University landed the #25 spot for value in the United States this year. Read more about Frostburg State University

Rest of the Top 15% Best-Value Other Physical Sciences Doctoral Degree Schools in the United States

Not far behind, these schools also offered excellent value:

Cuny Hunter College placed #26 among the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools in the United States. Read the full report on Cuny Hunter College

Suny College At Cortland came in at #27 in this year's value ranking. Read more about Suny College At Cortland

University Of Utah came in at #28 in this year's value ranking. More on University Of Utah

Capital Community College placed #29 among the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools in the United States. More on Capital Community College

Xavier University landed the #30 spot for value in the United States this year. Read the full report on Xavier University

University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill landed the #31 spot for value in the United States this year. Get the full University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill report

University Of Delaware placed #32 among the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools in the United States. Get the full University Of Delaware report

The College Of Saint Scholastica came in at #33 in this year's value ranking. See the full The College Of Saint Scholastica profile

Oklahoma City Community College ranked #34 on our 2026 list of the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools. More on Oklahoma City Community College

Suffolk University ranked #35 on our 2026 list of the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools. Get the full Suffolk University report

Cedar Crest College placed #36 among the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools in the United States. More on Cedar Crest College

University Of Alabama At Huntsville placed #37 among the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools in the United States. Read more about University Of Alabama At Huntsville

University Of California Merced placed #38 among the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools in the United States. More on University Of California Merced

Northern Illinois University came in at #39 in this year's value ranking. Read more about Northern Illinois University

Swarthmore College offered strong value this year, earning the #40 position. More on Swarthmore College

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University placed #41 among the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools in the United States. Get the full Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University report

Florida International University came in at #42 in this year's value ranking. More on Florida International University

Columbia University In The City Of New York landed the #43 spot for value in the United States this year. Read more about Columbia University In The City Of New York

American University offered strong value this year, earning the #44 position. Read more about American University

Stony Brook University ranked #45 on our 2026 list of the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools. Read more about Stony Brook University

Temple University offered strong value this year, earning the #46 position. Read more about Temple University

Florida State University ranked #47 on our 2026 list of the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools. Read the full report on Florida State University

Saginaw Valley State University placed #48 among the best-value Other Physical Sciences schools in the United States. Read more about Saginaw Valley State University

Azusa Pacific University came in at #49 in this year's value ranking. Get the full Azusa Pacific University report

Explore other degree levels:

Ranking Methodology & Notes

This list is compiled 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 49 ranked schools only.

References

Find Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited colleges across the U.S.