2026 Best Value Chemical Physics Schools in California
[Chemical Physics](/majors/physical-sciences/chemistry/chemical-physics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for chemical physics students.
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2026 Best Value Chemical Physics Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the chemical physics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Chemical Physics Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of California San Diego the best value for a degree in chemical physics in California. Located in the city of La Jolla, University Of California San Diego is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,788, with out-of-state students paying around $47,676. Typical student debt for chemical physics graduates is $16,100. Chemical Physics graduates of University Of California San Diego earn a median of $60,797 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 27%.
University Of California Davis came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value chemical physics schools. University Of California Davis is a very large public school located in the suburb of Davis. In-state tuition and fees average $15,804, while out-of-state students pay about $47,692. Students borrow a median of $14,000 to complete the chemical physics program here. Early-career chemical physics graduates make about $53,749. Set against $14,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Southern California earned it the #3 place for chemical physics. University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Students from in state pay about $71,647 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $15,625 to complete the chemical physics program here. Soon after graduation, chemical physics degree recipients from University Of Southern California generally make around $75,677. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Southern California admits about 10% of applicants.
More Chemical Physics Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked 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 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
