2023 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in Pennsylvania
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Physical Sciences School for You
With 2,562 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, physical sciences is the #17 most popular major in Pennsylvania.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. 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.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Our analysis looked at 14 schools in Pennsylvania to see which programs offered the best value experiences for physical sciences students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Top 10 Best Physical Sciences Schools
Our analysis found Lock Haven University to be the best value school for physical sciences students who want to pursue a degree in Pennsylvania. LHU is a small public school located in the town of Lock Haven.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at LHU are $10,878 per year.
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is a great value for physical sciences students. Located in the small city of East Stroudsburg, East Stroudsburg University is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at East Stroudsburg University are $11,259 per year.
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The excellent programs at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best physical sciences schools in Pennsylvania. Bloomsburg is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Bloomsburg.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Bloomsburg are $10,982 per year. On average, physical sciences graduates from Bloomsburg take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $270, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Out of the 14 schools in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the town of Edinboro, Edinboro is a public college with a small student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Edinboro are $10,543 per year. The average amount in student loans that physical sciences majors at Edinboro take out is $25,000.
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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a great value for physical sciences students. Located in the distant town of Slippery Rock, SRU is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SRU are $10,507 per year. On average, physical sciences graduates from SRU take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
Full Physical Sciences at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Report
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Millersville University of Pennsylvania did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for physical sciences students. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in the suburb of Millersville, Millersville is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Millersville are $12,256 a year. The average amount in student loans that physical sciences majors at Millersville take out is $20,500.
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With a ranking of #7, Clarion University of Pennsylvania did quite well on this year’s best value schools for physical sciences students. Located in the town of Clarion, Clarion University is a public college with a small student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Clarion University are $11,173 per year.
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California University of Pennsylvania came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in the suburb of California, Cal U is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Cal U are $11,108 per year.
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University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in the suburb of Johnstown, Pitt Johnstown is a public college with a small student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Pitt Johnstown are $14,352 per year. On average, physical sciences graduates from Pitt Johnstown take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $327.
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With a ranking of #10, University of Pittsburgh - Bradford did quite well on this year’s best value schools for physical sciences students. Located in the remote town of Bradford, Pitt Bradford is a public college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Pitt Bradford are $14,354 a year. After completing their degree, physical sciences graduates from Pitt Bradford carry an average student debtload of $27,000. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $327.
Read full report on Physical Sciences at University of Pittsburgh - Bradford
Request InformationBest Value Physical Sciences Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region
Explore all the Best Value Physical Sciences Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | 1,090 |
| New York | 4,551 |
| Maryland | 932 |
| Delaware | 155 |
| District of Columbia | 190 |
More Physical Sciences Rankings in Pennsylvania
Majors Related to Physical Sciences
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 14 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 NASA.
More about our data sources and methodologies.