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Best Physical Sciences Schools in Virginia

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2023 Best Physical Sciences Schools in Virginia

10 Colleges
$32,871 Avg Salary
$21,765 Avg Student Debt

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

#1

Christopher Newport University

Newport News, VA

Our 2023 rankings named Christopher Newport University the best school in Virginia for physical sciences students. CNU is a small public school located in the city of Newport News.

While working on their degree, physical sciences majors at CNU accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Christopher Newport University

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 suburb of Charlottesville.

On average, physical sciences graduates from University of Virginia take out $21,500 in student loans while working on their degree.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of Virginia - Main Campus

#3

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, VA

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Virginia Tech. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Physical Sciences Schools in Virginia 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.

Read More…

#4

University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg, VA

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means University of Mary Washington is a great place for physical sciences students. UMW is a small public school located in the midsize suburb of Fredericksburg.

While working on their degree, physical sciences majors at UMW accumulate an average of around $21,622 in student debt.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of Mary Washington

#5

William & Mary

Williamsburg, VA

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend William & Mary. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Physical Sciences Schools in Virginia list. William & Mary is a moderately-sized public school located in the small suburb of Williamsburg.

After completing their degree, physical sciences graduates from William & Mary carry an average student debtload of $19,606.

Read More…

#6

Bridgewater College

Bridgewater, VA

Bridgewater College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best physical sciences programs. Located in the suburb of Bridgewater, Bridgewater is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

Full Physical Sciences at Bridgewater College Report

#7

Radford University

Radford, VA

Radford University landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best physical sciences programs. Located in the small suburb of Radford, Radford is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at Radford University

#8

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, VA

James Madison University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best physical sciences programs. Located in the city of Harrisonburg, JMU is a public college with a fairly large student population.

The average amount in student loans that physical sciences majors at JMU take out is $20,503.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at James Madison University

#9

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA

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 suburb of Fairfax.

While working on their degree, physical sciences majors at GMU accumulate an average of around $20,293 in student debt.

Read full report on Physical Sciences at George Mason University

Virginia Commonwealth University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Physical Sciences Schools in Virginia list. VCU is a very 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.

Read More…

Best Physical Sciences Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best Physical Sciences Schools in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
North Carolina 1,594
West Virginia 238
South Carolina 424
Florida 1,506
Arkansas 370
Mississippi 518
Tennessee 721
Louisiana 477
Alabama 554
Kentucky 455
Georgia 1,064

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.

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