2023 Best Physical Sciences Schools in Virginia
Finding the Best Physical Sciences School for You
Physical Sciences is the #20 most popular major in Virginia with 1,478 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
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.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Physical Sciences Schools in Virginia ranking. Our analysis looked at 10 schools in Virginia to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Physical Sciences Schools in Virginia
Check out the physical sciences programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 10 Best Physical Sciences Schools
Our analysis found Christopher Newport University to be the best school for physical sciences students who want to pursue a degree in Virginia. CNU is a small public school located in the medium-sized city of Newport News.
While working on their degree, physical sciences majors at CNU accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt.
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The excellent programs at University of Virginia - Main Campus helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best physical sciences schools in Virginia. University of Virginia is a very large public school located in the small suburb of Charlottesville.
On average, physical sciences graduates from University of Virginia take out $21,500 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Out of the 10 schools in Virginia that were part of this year’s ranking, Virginia Tech landed the # 3 spot on the list. Virginia Tech is a very large public school located in the small city of Blacksburg.
On average, physical sciences graduates from Virginia Tech take out $23,641 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Out of the 10 schools in Virginia that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Mary Washington landed the # 4 spot on the list. UMW is a small public school located in the medium-sized suburb of Fredericksburg.
While working on their degree, physical sciences majors at UMW accumulate an average of around $21,622 in student debt.
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The excellent programs at William & Mary helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best physical sciences schools in Virginia. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school located in the suburb of Williamsburg.
After completing their degree, physical sciences graduates from William & Mary carry an average student debtload of $19,606.
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Bridgewater College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for physical sciences students. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in the suburb of Bridgewater, Bridgewater is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
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Radford University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Physical Sciences Schools in Virginia ranking. Located in the small suburb of Radford, Radford is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
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With a ranking of #8, James Madison University did quite well on this year’s best schools for physical sciences students. Located in the city of Harrisonburg, JMU is a public school with a very large student population.
The average amount in student loans that physical sciences majors at JMU take out is $20,503.
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George Mason University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for physical sciences students. It came in at #9 on the list. GMU is a fairly large public school located in the large suburb of Fairfax.
While working on their degree, physical sciences majors at GMU accumulate an average of around $20,293 in student debt.
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Virginia Commonwealth University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Physical Sciences Schools in Virginia list. VCU is a fairly large public school located in the medium-sized city of Richmond.
On average, physical sciences graduates from VCU take out $25,378 in student loans while working on their degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $185.
Full Physical Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University Report
Request InformationBest Physical Sciences Colleges in the Southeast Region
Explore all the Best Physical Sciences Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| North Carolina | 1,594 |
| West Virginia | 238 |
| Mississippi | 518 |
| South Carolina | 424 |
| Florida | 1,506 |
| Arkansas | 370 |
| Alabama | 554 |
| Kentucky | 455 |
| Georgia | 1,064 |
| Tennessee | 721 |
| Louisiana | 477 |
More Physical Sciences Rankings in Virginia
Physical Sciences Related Rankings by Major
Physical Sciences Majors to Study
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 21,239 |
| Physics | 13,674 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 7,821 |
| General Physical Sciences | 3,823 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 1,375 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 1,140 |
| Materials Sciences | 658 |
| Other Physical Science | 538 |
| Physics and Astronomy | 38 |
Majors Similar to Physical Sciences
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Computer & Information Sciences | 254,454 |
| Engineering | 198,468 |
| Biological & Biomedical Sciences | 177,778 |
| Engineering Technologies | 85,188 |
| Mathematics & Statistics | 52,396 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 10 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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.