Best Schools for Biological and Physical Sciences in 2026
43 schools ranked by TSW Score · Updated 2026
These are the top schools offering Biological and Physical Sciences, ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Biological and Physical Sciences graduate earns $26,356/yr across 43 schools.
Programs Ranked
43
Avg Earnings
$26,356/yr
Avg TSW Score
50/100
AI-Proof Rating
Resilient
39% task exposure
All Biological and Physical Sciences Programs Ranked
Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.
| # | School | TSW Score | Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Laurel Ridge Community College
Middletown, VA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
56
52–58 |
$37,850/yr | 50.3x |
| 2 |
College of Lake County
Grayslake, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
58
53–60 |
$37,724/yr | 58.7x |
| 3 |
Riverside City College
Riverside, CA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
64
60–66 |
$33,201/yr | 175.4x |
| 4 |
Modesto Junior College
Modesto, CA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
64
60–65 |
$31,960/yr | 251.3x |
| 5 |
Shasta College
Redding, CA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
62
59–63 |
$31,415/yr | 130.2x |
| 6 |
American River College
Sacramento, CA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
62
57–63 |
$29,022/yr | 192.6x |
| 7 |
Southwestern Illinois College
Belleville, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
53
47–55 |
$29,678/yr | 59.0x |
| 8 |
Triton College
River Grove, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
50
44–52 |
$29,069/yr | 49.3x |
| 9 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College
Chicago, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
50
49–51 |
$33,115/yr | 36.8x |
| 10 |
McHenry County College
Crystal Lake, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
52
45–54 |
$28,614/yr | 59.0x |
| 11 |
Victor Valley College
Victorville, CA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
59
54–60 |
$26,780/yr | 243.0x |
| 12 |
Lewis and Clark Community College
Godfrey, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
51
45–53 |
$27,320/yr | 63.9x |
| 13 |
Parkland College
Champaign, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
48
42–50 |
$26,547/yr | 57.6x |
| 14 |
William Rainey Harper College
Palatine, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
50
44–52 |
$27,081/yr | 64.0x |
| 15 |
Cerritos College
Norwalk, CA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
58
52–59 |
$25,221/yr | 224.8x |
| 16 |
Mt San Jacinto Community College District
San Jacinto, CA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
55
53–57 |
$26,228/yr | 92.3x |
| 17 |
Santa Ana College
Santa Ana, CA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
58
53–60 |
$25,393/yr | 201.9x |
| 18 |
Tidewater Community College
Norfolk, VA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
48
44–49 |
$30,605/yr | 35.2x |
| 19 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College
Chicago, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
47
46–48 |
$30,203/yr | 33.5x |
| 20 |
Joliet Junior College
Joliet, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
47
46–48 |
$30,509/yr | 32.7x |
| 21 |
Waubonsee Community College
Sugar Grove, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
49
42–51 |
$24,939/yr | 72.8x |
| 22 |
San Jacinto Community College
Pasadena, TX · Biological and Physical Sciences |
54
47–56 |
$23,903/yr | 112.0x |
| 23 |
Virginia Western Community College
Roanoke, VA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
47
41–49 |
$27,786/yr | 39.2x |
| 24 |
East Los Angeles College
Monterey Park, CA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
54
51–55 |
$23,633/yr | 94.4x |
| 25 |
Imperial Valley College
Imperial, CA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
57
52–58 |
$23,311/yr | 218.9x |
| 26 |
Kishwaukee College
Malta, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
43
38–45 |
$24,070/yr | 45.5x |
| 27 |
Moraine Valley Community College
Palos Hills, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
45
39–47 |
$23,128/yr | 69.0x |
| 28 |
Rock Valley College
Rockford, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
43
37–45 |
$21,956/yr | 53.3x |
| 29 |
Virginia Peninsula Community College
Hampton, VA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
45
39–47 |
$25,468/yr | 41.6x |
| 30 |
Moreno Valley College
Moreno Valley, CA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
53
47–55 |
$20,108/yr | 179.1x |
| 31 |
San Diego Mesa College
San Diego, CA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
54
48–55 |
$19,521/yr | 266.1x |
| 32 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College
Chicago, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
44
43–45 |
$27,451/yr | 30.3x |
| 33 |
College of DuPage
Glen Ellyn, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
43
37–45 |
$22,654/yr | 43.3x |
| 34 |
Illinois Valley Community College
Oglesby, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
40
34–41 |
$18,345/yr | 57.4x |
| 35 |
Rend Lake College
Ina, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
44
39–46 |
$24,444/yr | 40.1x |
| 36 |
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Richmond, VA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
42
36–44 |
$23,059/yr | 40.6x |
| 37 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College
Chicago, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
43
42–44 |
$26,939/yr | 29.8x |
| 38 |
Morton College
Cicero, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
42
36–43 |
$22,435/yr | 40.6x |
| 39 |
Hudson County Community College
Jersey City, NJ · Biological and Physical Sciences |
38
33–40 |
$19,269/yr | 44.3x |
| 40 |
Northern Virginia Community College
Annandale, VA · Biological and Physical Sciences |
40
34–41 |
$21,923/yr | 40.2x |
| 41 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College
Chicago, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
42
41–44 |
$26,130/yr | 28.8x |
| 42 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College
Chicago, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
40
39–42 |
$24,111/yr | 26.5x |
| 43 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College
Chicago, IL · Biological and Physical Sciences |
37
36–39 |
$21,207/yr | 23.2x |
Methodology
Programs are ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score, which combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), AI automation resilience (based on OpenAI and academic research), job market size (BLS annual openings), and earnings-to-tuition multiple (projected earnings vs. program tuition).
Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports actual median earnings of graduates — not self-reported surveys.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best school for Biological and Physical Sciences?
Based on our TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Laurel Ridge Community College ranks #1 for Biological and Physical Sciences with a score of 56/100 and graduate earnings of $37,850/yr.
How much do Biological and Physical Sciences graduates earn?
Across 43 schools, Biological and Physical Sciences graduates earn an average of $26,356/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $37,850/yr.
Is Biological and Physical Sciences an AI-proof career?
Biological and Physical Sciences has an average AI task exposure of 39%, rated "Resilient". This trade is resilient to AI disruption — most tasks require physical presence and human judgment.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Last updated 2025.