by our College Data Analytics Team
[Physics](/majors/physical-sciences/physics/) 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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for physics students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physics, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in physics, no school beat University Of Connecticut this year. Located in the town of Storrs, University Of Connecticut is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,044, compared with $43,712 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for physics graduates is $26,324. Early-career physics graduates make about $32,341. That is a strong return on a $26,324 median debt. University Of Connecticut admits about 52% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Yale University earned it the #2 place for physics. Set in the city of New Haven, Yale University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,250. Typical student debt for physics graduates is $14,357. Early-career physics graduates make about $74,578. Set against $14,357 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
Wesleyan University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in physics, landing the #3 spot this year. Wesleyan University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Middletown. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $70,042. Typical student debt for physics graduates is $16,125. Soon after graduation, physics degree recipients from Wesleyan University generally make around $39,764. That is a strong return on a $16,125 median debt. The acceptance rate is 16%.
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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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.