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Best Schools for Physics

Physics graduates earn a median of $43,621 within two years of graduation, ranking #103 out of 292 tracked majors — 23% above the median across all fields. There are 89 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 1,506 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduates earn $84,653 while Gustavus Adolphus College graduates earn $20,140 — a $64,513 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap.

Early career salary growth is moderate: Physics graduates see an average 10% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

89
Schools
$43,621
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#103
of 292 Majors
1,506
Graduates

Public vs Private: Physics

Public (69 schools)
$41,604
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (19 schools)
$51,085
avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $9,481 more in early earnings on average for Physics graduates. Factor in tuition difference to calculate which offers better ROI.

Physics by State

California
10 schools
$44,470
New York
6 schools
$49,977
Texas
5 schools
$44,334
Washington
5 schools
$47,580
Virginia
5 schools
$41,162
Connecticut
5 schools
$27,978
Massachusetts
4 schools
$61,717
Oregon
4 schools
$43,801

Top Physics Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
M

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA · Private

$84,653
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 4.7%
#2
C

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY · Private

$74,531
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,630
Grads: 21
Acceptance: 8.2%
#3
N

Northeastern University

Boston, MA · Private

$74,200
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 5.7%
#4
D

DePaul University

Chicago, IL · Private

$69,338
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 73.5%
#5
R

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY · Private

$69,338
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,448
Grads: 21
Acceptance: 58.5%
#6
U

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN · Private

$67,660
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 12.4%
#7
U

University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ · Public

$64,791
2yr Earnings
1yr: $66,451
Grads: 38
Acceptance: 85.7%
#8
C

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA · Public

$61,516
2yr Earnings
1yr: $30,120
Grads: 27
Acceptance: 29.8%
#9
P

Portland State University

Portland, OR · Public

$60,161
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 90.9%
#10
C

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, MA · Private

$59,417
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 21.1%
#11
U

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR · Public

$57,318
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 71.7%
#12
T

The University of Texas at Dallas

Richardson, TX · Public

$57,318
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 65.5%
#13
C

California State University-San Marcos

San Marcos, CA · Public

$57,318
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 95.7%
#14
T

The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX · Public

$54,713
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,091
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 81.3%
#15
W

Whitworth University

Spokane, WA · Private

$54,661
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 86.8%
#16
U

University of New Hampshire-Main Campus

Durham, NH · Public

$53,358
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 86.9%
#17
B

Brigham Young University

Provo, UT · Private

$52,733
2yr Earnings
1yr: $40,730
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 69.2%
#18
U

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA · Public

$52,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 16.9%
#19
S

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

Magnolia, AR · Public

$52,107
2yr Earnings
1yr: $52,362
Grads: 24
Acceptance: 66.6%
#20
U

University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA · Public

$52,107
2yr Earnings
1yr: $49,863
Grads: 43
Acceptance: 27.8%
#21
M

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI · Public

$52,107
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,929
Grads: 32
Acceptance: 83.9%
#22
F

Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL · Public

$50,231
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,649
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 25.4%
#23
C

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Pomona, CA · Public

$50,022
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,252
Grads: 33
Acceptance: 73.7%
#24
U

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, UT · Public

$48,432
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,887
Grads: 31
Acceptance: 87.2%
#25
W

Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA · Public

$48,432
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,871
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 91.3%
#26
U

University of Maryland-College Park

College Park, MD · Public

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $48,534
Grads: 33
Acceptance: 44.8%
#27
R

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY · Private

$47,260
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 71.4%
#28
O

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH · Public

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $45,021
Grads: 27
Acceptance: 50.8%
#29
J

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, VA · Public

$47,260
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 76.3%
#30
U

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA · Public

$46,620
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,470
Grads: 70
Acceptance: 42.5%
#31
U

University of Washington-Bothell Campus

Bothell, WA · Public

$46,620
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,470
Grads: 70
Acceptance: 91.8%
#32
S

Salisbury University

Salisbury, MD · Public

$46,087
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 88.6%
#33
T

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX · Public

$45,383
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,452
Grads: 62
Acceptance: 29.1%
#34
V

Villanova University

Villanova, PA · Private

$45,198
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 25.1%
#35
U

University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CA · Public

$44,971
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,524
Grads: 46
Acceptance: 24.5%
#36
M

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, TN · Public

$44,747
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,333
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 68.0%
#37
R

Rowan University

Glassboro, NJ · Public

$44,170
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,968
Grads: 37
Acceptance: 77.8%
#38
U

University of Missouri-Columbia

Columbia, MO · Public

$43,426
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 77.0%
#39
U

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

La Crosse, WI · Public

$43,240
2yr Earnings
1yr: $46,468
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 73.3%
#40
C

Carleton College

Northfield, MN · Private

$42,774
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 22.3%
#41
I

Indiana University-Bloomington

Bloomington, IN · Public

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,543
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 80.4%
#42
U

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · Public

$42,309
2yr Earnings
1yr: $47,882
Grads: 32
Acceptance: 43.7%
#43
C

Central Washington University

Ellensburg, WA · Public

$41,565
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 90.2%
#44
A

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ · Public

$41,205
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,484
Grads: 40
Acceptance: 90.2%
#45
U

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Public

$41,193
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,877
Grads: 55
Acceptance: 11.7%
#46
U

University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, CO · Public

$41,193
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,374
Grads: 26
Acceptance: 83.3%
#47
S

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, NY · Public

$41,193
2yr Earnings
1yr: $25,311
Grads: 23
Acceptance: 49.0%
#48
I

Idaho State University

Pocatello, ID ·

$41,025
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: N/A
#49
C

Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Charleston, SC · Public

$41,025
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 98.1%
#50
U

University of Oregon

Eugene, OR · Public

$40,626
2yr Earnings
1yr: $23,310
Grads: 20
Acceptance: 85.1%

Showing top 50 of 89 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Air Transportation $44,176 Human Resources Management and Services $44,112 Data Processing $43,979 Business/Commerce, General $43,616 Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other $43,592 Soil Sciences $43,329

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Physics?
Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranks #1 for Physics with median graduate earnings of $84,653 within two years. There are 89 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Physics graduates earn?
Physics graduates earn an average of $43,621 within two years of graduation. This is 23% above the median across all majors. Earnings range from $20,140 to $84,653 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Physics program?
The average acceptance rate across Physics programs is 60.5%. The most selective program is at Columbia University in the City of New York with a 4.2% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Physics?
Private Physics programs average $51,085 in early earnings vs $41,604 at public schools. Private schools lead in earnings, but cost significantly more — calculate net price before deciding.

Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders.

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