Best Schools for Biological & Physical Sciences in 2026
43 schools ranked by TSW Score · Updated 2026
These are the top schools offering Biological & 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 & 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 & 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 & Physical Sciences |
56
52–58 |
$37,850/yr | 50.3x |
| 2 |
College of Lake County
Grayslake, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
58
53–60 |
$37,724/yr | 58.7x |
| 3 |
Riverside City College
Riverside, CA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
64
60–66 |
$33,201/yr | 175.4x |
| 4 |
Modesto Junior College
Modesto, CA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
64
60–65 |
$31,960/yr | 251.3x |
| 5 |
Shasta College
Redding, CA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
62
59–63 |
$31,415/yr | 130.2x |
| 6 |
American River College
Sacramento, CA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
62
57–63 |
$29,022/yr | 192.6x |
| 7 |
Southwestern Illinois College
Belleville, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
53
47–55 |
$29,678/yr | 59.0x |
| 8 |
Triton College
River Grove, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
50
44–52 |
$29,069/yr | 49.3x |
| 9 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College
Chicago, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
50
49–51 |
$33,115/yr | 36.8x |
| 10 |
McHenry County College
Crystal Lake, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
52
45–54 |
$28,614/yr | 59.0x |
| 11 |
Victor Valley College
Victorville, CA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
59
54–60 |
$26,780/yr | 243.0x |
| 12 |
Lewis and Clark Community College
Godfrey, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
51
45–53 |
$27,320/yr | 63.9x |
| 13 |
Parkland College
Champaign, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
48
42–50 |
$26,547/yr | 57.6x |
| 14 |
William Rainey Harper College
Palatine, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
50
44–52 |
$27,081/yr | 64.0x |
| 15 |
Cerritos College
Norwalk, CA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
58
52–59 |
$25,221/yr | 224.8x |
| 16 |
Mt San Jacinto Community College District
San Jacinto, CA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
55
53–57 |
$26,228/yr | 92.3x |
| 17 |
Santa Ana College
Santa Ana, CA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
58
53–60 |
$25,393/yr | 201.9x |
| 18 |
Tidewater Community College
Norfolk, VA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
48
44–49 |
$30,605/yr | 35.2x |
| 19 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College
Chicago, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
47
46–48 |
$30,203/yr | 33.5x |
| 20 |
Joliet Junior College
Joliet, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
47
46–48 |
$30,509/yr | 32.7x |
| 21 |
Waubonsee Community College
Sugar Grove, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
49
42–51 |
$24,939/yr | 72.8x |
| 22 |
San Jacinto Community College
Pasadena, TX · Biological & Physical Sciences |
54
47–56 |
$23,903/yr | 112.0x |
| 23 |
Virginia Western Community College
Roanoke, VA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
47
41–49 |
$27,786/yr | 39.2x |
| 24 |
East Los Angeles College
Monterey Park, CA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
54
51–55 |
$23,633/yr | 94.4x |
| 25 |
Imperial Valley College
Imperial, CA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
57
52–58 |
$23,311/yr | 218.9x |
| 26 |
Kishwaukee College
Malta, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
43
38–45 |
$24,070/yr | 45.5x |
| 27 |
Moraine Valley Community College
Palos Hills, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
45
39–47 |
$23,128/yr | 69.0x |
| 28 |
Rock Valley College
Rockford, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
43
37–45 |
$21,956/yr | 53.3x |
| 29 |
Virginia Peninsula Community College
Hampton, VA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
45
39–47 |
$25,468/yr | 41.6x |
| 30 |
Moreno Valley College
Moreno Valley, CA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
53
47–55 |
$20,108/yr | 179.1x |
| 31 |
San Diego Mesa College
San Diego, CA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
54
48–55 |
$19,521/yr | 266.1x |
| 32 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College
Chicago, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
44
43–45 |
$27,451/yr | 30.3x |
| 33 |
College of DuPage
Glen Ellyn, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
43
37–45 |
$22,654/yr | 43.3x |
| 34 |
Illinois Valley Community College
Oglesby, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
40
34–41 |
$18,345/yr | 57.4x |
| 35 |
Rend Lake College
Ina, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
44
39–46 |
$24,444/yr | 40.1x |
| 36 |
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Richmond, VA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
42
36–44 |
$23,059/yr | 40.6x |
| 37 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College
Chicago, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
43
42–44 |
$26,939/yr | 29.8x |
| 38 |
Morton College
Cicero, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
42
36–43 |
$22,435/yr | 40.6x |
| 39 |
Hudson County Community College
Jersey City, NJ · Biological & Physical Sciences |
38
33–40 |
$19,269/yr | 44.3x |
| 40 |
Northern Virginia Community College
Annandale, VA · Biological & Physical Sciences |
40
34–41 |
$21,923/yr | 40.2x |
| 41 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College
Chicago, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
42
41–44 |
$26,130/yr | 28.8x |
| 42 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College
Chicago, IL · Biological & Physical Sciences |
40
39–42 |
$24,111/yr | 26.5x |
| 43 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College
Chicago, IL · Biological & 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 & Physical Sciences?
Based on our TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Laurel Ridge Community College ranks #1 for Biological & Physical Sciences with a score of 56/100 and graduate earnings of $37,850/yr.
How much do Biological & Physical Sciences graduates earn?
Across 43 schools, Biological & Physical Sciences graduates earn an average of $26,356/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $37,850/yr.
Is Biological & Physical Sciences an AI-proof career?
Biological & 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.