Best Physics Schools Near Norton Shores, MI (2026)

Norton Shores, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs, with tuition ranging from $39,350 to $54,222 per year for indexed programs. Norton Shores has a population of about 25,000. Median household income is $73,390 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Michigan, the top-earning physics-related role is Biochemists and Biophysicists at a median $109,340 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Physics Schools to Norton Shores

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer physics programs near Norton Shores, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Norton Shores city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Norton Shores. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI 22.9 miles from Norton Shores
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,118
Avg net price $16,317/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 137

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Hope College

Holland, MI 27.0 miles from Norton Shores
  • 4 year
59.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,427
Avg net price $27,182/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Calvin University

Grand Rapids, MI 37.2 miles from Norton Shores
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
71.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,375
Avg net price $22,992/yr
Tuition
In‑state$39,350
Out‑of‑state$39,350
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 89

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Kalamazoo College

Kalamazoo, MI 68.7 miles from Norton Shores
  • 4 year
67.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,590
Avg net price $19,072/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 68.9 miles from Norton Shores
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,562
Avg net price $15,273/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 188

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 79.9 miles from Norton Shores
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
60.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,874
Avg net price $17,597/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,760
Out‑of‑state$14,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 183

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Alma College

Alma, MI 80.9 miles from Norton Shores
  • 4 year
51.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,742
Avg net price $20,694/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Andrews University

Berrien Springs, MI 83.0 miles from Norton Shores
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
70.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 82%
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,187
Avg net price $12,547/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,056
Out‑of‑state$35,056
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 83

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Michigan schools on the Michigan physics page.


Physics Wages Near Norton Shores

Norton Shores is part of the Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI metro area (BLS area code 34740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Physicists $94,520 MI statewide $102,184
Biochemists and Biophysicists $109,340 MI statewide $118,205
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $109,090 MI statewide $117,935
Mathematicians $65,510 MI statewide $70,822
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $103,210 MI statewide $111,578
Engineers, All Other $87,810 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $94,930
Software Developers $101,940 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $110,205
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $63,650 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $68,811

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Norton Shores at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 25,000 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $73,390 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 33.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 92.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Norton Shores-Area Cities With Physics Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited physics schools are near Norton Shores, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs near Norton Shores. The closest is Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI (22.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Western Michigan University (68.9 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying physics roles near Norton Shores?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying physics-related roles near Norton Shores are: Biochemists and Biophysicists ($109,340), Physics Teachers, Postsecondary ($109,090), Atmospheric and Space Scientists ($103,210). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Muskegon instead of Norton Shores?

Muskegon, MI is 4.6 miles from Norton Shores and has its own set of local physics programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Norton Shores an affordable place to study physics?

Norton Shores’s median household income of $73,390 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Norton Shores while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Physics Programs

Other Programs Available in Norton Shores

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Norton Shores:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.