2026 Best Value Chemical & Physical Oceanography Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

[Chemical & Physical Oceanography](/majors/physical-sciences/geological-and-earth-sciences/oceanography-chemical-and-physical/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for chemical & physical oceanography students.
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2026 Best Value Chemical & Physical Oceanography Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in chemical & physical oceanography, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Chemical & Physical Oceanography Schools
University Of Delaware tops our 2026 list of the best value chemical & physical oceanography schools in the Middle Atlantic Region. Set in the suburb of Newark, University Of Delaware is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $16,810 in tuition and fees, compared with $41,400 for out-of-state students. Chemical & Physical Oceanography graduates carry a median of $24,861 in student loans. Early-career chemical & physical oceanography graduates make about $54,155. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in chemical & physical oceanography will find it at Kutztown University Of Pennsylvania, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Kutztown, Kutztown University Of Pennsylvania is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,206 in tuition and fees, compared with $16,330 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for chemical & physical oceanography graduates is $26,334. Chemical & Physical Oceanography graduates of Kutztown University Of Pennsylvania earn a median of $28,040 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,334 median debt. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Rutgers University New Brunswick one of the best values for chemical & physical oceanography. Set in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $17,929, with out-of-state students paying around $37,441. Chemical & Physical Oceanography graduates carry a median of $24,830 in student loans. Soon after graduation, chemical & physical oceanography degree recipients from Rutgers University New Brunswick generally make around $47,045. Set against $24,830 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Rutgers University New Brunswick admits about 58% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 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.