2023 Most Popular Physics Bachelor's Degree Schools in California
Finding the Best Physics Bachelor's Degree School for You
In 2020-2021, 3,218 degrees and certificates were awarded to physics students who went to a California college or university. This makes it the #40 most popular major in the state.
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
The Most Popular Physics Bachelor's Degree Schools in California ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 58 schools in California to see which ones were the most popular bachelor's degree programs for students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from the Physics program at each school on the list.
2023 Most Popular Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California
Check out the physics bachelor's degree programs at these schools if you want to attend one of the most popular in California.
Top 10 Most Popular Physics Bachelor's Degree Schools
Our analysis found University of California - Santa Barbara to be the most popular school for physics students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in California. Located in the suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public school with a fairly large student population.
Of the 151 students majoring in physics at UCSB, 89% are male and 11% are female.
The average amount in student loans that physics majors at UCSB take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $17,121.
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Out of the 58 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public college with a very large student population.
Of the 129 students majoring in physics at UC Berkeley, 75% are male and 25% are female.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, physics majors at UC Berkeley accumulate an average of around $15,953 in student debt.
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A rank of #3 on this year’s list means University of California - Irvine is a great place for physics students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public college with a very large student population.
About 15% of the students majoring in physics at the school are women while 85% are male.
The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $201, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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The in-demand bachelor’s degree programs at University of California - Los Angeles helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular physics schools in California. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public college with a very large student population.
Women make up 20% of the physics majors at the school.
The average amount in student loans that physics majors at UCLA take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $21,236.
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The in-demand bachelor’s degree programs at University of California - Santa Cruz helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular physics schools in California. UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large public school located in the small city of Santa Cruz.
Women make up 21% of the physics majors at the school.
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University of California - Davis ranked #6 on this year’s Most Popular Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in the suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public college with a fairly large student population.
About 30% of the students majoring in physics at the school are women while 70% are male.
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University of California - San Diego came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking. UCSD is a very large public school located in the city of La Jolla.
Women make up 14% of the physics majors at the school.
Physics majors at UCSD take out an average of $19,846 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.
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With a ranking of #8, University of California - Riverside did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for physics students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the city of Riverside, UCR is a public school with a very large student population.
About 17% of the students majoring in physics at the school are women while 83% are male.
Full Physics at University of California - Riverside Report
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With a ranking of #9, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for physics students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the large city of Long Beach, CSULB is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Of the 37 students majoring in physics at CSULB, 84% are male and 16% are female.
The average amount in student loans that physics majors at CSULB take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $20,792.
Read full report on Physics at California State University - Long Beach
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California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree physics programs. Located in the small suburb of San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a public school with a fairly large student population.
About 30% of the students majoring in physics at the school are women while 70% are male.
The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $537, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Request InformationBest Physics Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Most Popular Physics Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Washington | 392 |
| Oregon | 187 |
| Nevada | 50 |
| Hawaii | 10 |
| Alaska | 4 |
Physics Related Majors
One of 8 majors within the area of study, physics has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Majors Related to Physics
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 21,239 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 7,821 |
| General Physical Sciences | 3,823 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 1,375 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 1,140 |
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 A. T. Service.
More about our data sources and methodologies.