Best Universities for Physics in the World

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the World ranked based on their research performance in Physics. A graph of 966M citations received by 42.9M academic papers made by 6,603 universities in the World was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

United States | Massachusetts

For Physics

#1 in North America

#1 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1555
Average ACT: 36
Net Price: $20,232

2. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Physics

#2 in North America

#2 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $21,669
Enrollment: 45,307

3. Stanford University

United States | California

For Physics

#3 in North America

#3 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,279

4. University of Tokyo

For Physics

#1 in Asia

#1 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 28,218
Founded: 1877

5. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Physics

#4 in North America

#4 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $19,491

6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

United States | Michigan

For Physics

#5 in North America

#5 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 74%

7. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#1 in Europe

#1 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

8. Tsinghua University

China | Beijing

For Physics

#2 in Asia

#1 in China

Enrollment: 48,739
Founded: 1911

9. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Physics

#6 in North America

#6 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

10. Kyoto University

For Physics

#3 in Asia

#2 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 22,455
Male:Female: 76:24
Founded: 1897

11. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Physics

#7 in North America

#7 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 57%
Average Aid: $21,766
Enrollment: 46,430

12. Cornell University

United States | New York State

For Physics

#8 in North America

#8 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,060

13. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#2 in Europe

#2 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

14. Princeton University

United States | New Jersey

For Physics

#9 in North America

#9 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,698

15. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Physics

#10 in North America

#10 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $14,731
Enrollment: 52,319

16. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Physics

#11 in North America

#1 in Canada

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

17. California Institute of Technology

United States | California

For Physics

#12 in North America

#11 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Net Price: $20,755
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $59,192

18. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#13 in North America

#12 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1300
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 68%

19. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Physics

#14 in North America

#13 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 89%

20. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Physics

#15 in North America

#14 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 58%

21. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#3 in Europe

#3 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

22. Tohoku University

For Physics

#4 in Asia

#3 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 17,591
Founded: 1907

23. Osaka University

For Physics

#5 in Asia

#4 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 23,123
Male:Female: 68:32
Founded: 1931

24. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

United States | Minnesota

For Physics

#16 in North America

#15 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 82%

25. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Physics

#17 in North America

#16 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $20,782
Enrollment: 42,006

26. Georgia Institute of Technology

United States | Georgia

For Physics

#18 in North America

#17 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1460
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 73%

27. University of Maryland - College Park

United States | Maryland

For Physics

#19 in North America

#18 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 63%

28. Zhejiang University

China | Hangzhou

For Physics

#6 in Asia

#2 in China

Enrollment: 60,739
Founded: 1897

29. National University of Singapore

Singapore | Singapore City

For Physics

#7 in Asia

#1 in Singapore

Enrollment: 30,098
Founded: 1905

30. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Physics

#4 in Europe

#1 in Switzerland

Enrollment: 12,576

31. University of California - Santa Barbara

United States | California

For Physics

#20 in North America

#19 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Receiving Aid: 59%
Average Aid: $20,389
Enrollment: 26,420

32. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Physics

#21 in North America

#20 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $22,058

33. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Physics

#5 in Europe

#2 in Switzerland

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

34. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#6 in Europe

#4 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

35. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#22 in North America

#21 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,123

36. Johns Hopkins University

United States | Maryland

For Physics

#23 in North America

#22 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $24,034

37. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Physics

#24 in North America

#23 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 83%

38. Northwestern University

United States | Illinois

For Physics

#25 in North America

#24 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,095

39. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#7 in Europe

#5 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1824

40. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Physics

#26 in North America

#25 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,647

41. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

China | Shanghai

For Physics

#8 in Asia

#3 in China

Enrollment: 47,000
Founded: 1896

42. Pierre and Marie Curie University

France | Ile-de-France

For Physics

#8 in Europe

#1 in France

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 35,114
Founded: 1150

43. Nanyang Technological University

Singapore | Singapore City

For Physics

#9 in Asia

#2 in Singapore

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1955

44. University of Science and Technology of China

For Physics

#10 in Asia

#4 in China

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1958

45. Peking University

China | Beijing

For Physics

#11 in Asia

#5 in China

Enrollment: 44,730
Founded: 1898

46. Texas A&M University - College Station

United States | Texas

For Physics

#27 in North America

#26 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 74%

47. Purdue University

United States | Indiana

For Physics

#28 in North America

#27 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1335
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 60%

48. Tokyo Institute of Technology

For Physics

#12 in Asia

#5 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 10,357
Founded: 1881

49. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Physics

#29 in North America

#28 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $36,991

50. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Physics

#30 in North America

#29 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 94%

51. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Physics

#31 in North America

#2 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 20,893
Founded: 1908

52. Harbin Institute of Technology

For Physics

#13 in Asia

#6 in China

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1920

53. University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Physics

#14 in Asia

#7 in China

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 21,652
Founded: 1911

54. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Physics

#32 in North America

#30 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 98%

55. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Physics

#9 in Europe

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

56. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Physics

#10 in Europe

#1 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 24,703
Founded: 1842

57. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Physics

#11 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 44,000
Male:Female: 63:37
Founded: 1868

58. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Physics

#33 in North America

#31 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $20,548
Enrollment: 39,679

59. University of Southern California

United States | California

For Physics

#34 in North America

#32 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $36,808

60. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

United States | New Jersey

For Physics

#35 in North America

#33 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 70%

61. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#36 in North America

#34 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $33,499

62. Seoul National University

South Korea | Seoul

For Physics

#15 in Asia

#1 in South Korea

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 28,378
Founded: 1946

63. Huazhong University of Science and Technology

For Physics

#16 in Asia

#8 in China

Enrollment: 71,970
Founded: 1953

64. University of Colorado Boulder

United States | Colorado

For Physics

#37 in North America

#35 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1275
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 68%

65. McGill University

Canada | Quebec State

For Physics

#38 in North America

#3 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 37,888
Founded: 1821

66. Nagoya University

For Physics

#17 in Asia

#6 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 15,834
Founded: 1939

67. Iowa State University

United States | Iowa State

For Physics

#39 in North America

#36 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1220
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 89%

68. University of Alberta

Canada | Alberta

For Physics

#40 in North America

#4 in Canada

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

69. University of New South Wales

Australia | Sydney

For Physics

#1 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1949

70. Xi'an Jiaotong University

For Physics

#18 in Asia

#9 in China

Enrollment: 40,346
Founded: 1896

71. Kyushu University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Physics

#19 in Asia

#7 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 18,560
Founded: 1911

72. Nanjing University

China | Nanjing

For Physics

#20 in Asia

#10 in China

Enrollment: 56,068
Founded: 1902

73. Michigan State University

United States | Michigan

For Physics

#41 in North America

#37 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 94%

74. Arizona State University - Tempe

United States | Arizona

For Physics

#42 in North America

#38 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $12,381
Enrollment: 80,065

75. Moscow State University

Russia | Moscow

For Physics

#12 in Europe

#1 in Russia

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1755

76. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Physics

#13 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Enrollment: 23,321
Founded: 2009

77. University of Waterloo

Canada | Ontario

For Physics

#43 in North America

#5 in Canada

Enrollment: 35,900
Founded: 1957

78. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

United States | North Carolina

For Physics

#44 in North America

#39 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 59%

79. University of Sydney

Australia | Sydney

For Physics

#2 in Australia

Enrollment: 63,602
Founded: 1850

80. New York University

United States | New York State

For Physics

#45 in North America

#40 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $29,499

81. Tianjin University

China | Tianjin

For Physics

#21 in Asia

#11 in China

Enrollment: 35,370
Founded: 1895

82. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

United States | North Carolina

For Physics

#46 in North America

#41 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Average SAT: 1370
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 80%

83. University of Queensland

Australia | St Lucia

For Physics

#3 in Australia

Enrollment: 48,771
Founded: 1909

84. Australian National University

Australia | Canberra

For Physics

#4 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1946

85. University of Utah

United States | Utah

For Physics

#47 in North America

#42 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 99%

86. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

United States | Virginia

For Physics

#48 in North America

#43 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1335
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 71%

87. Fudan University

China | Shanghai

For Physics

#22 in Asia

#12 in China

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1905

88. Jilin University

China | Changchun

For Physics

#23 in Asia

#13 in China

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 68,000
Founded: 1946

89. University of Sao Paulo

Brazil | Sao Paulo

For Physics

#1 in Latin America

#1 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 97,964
Founded: 1827

90. Tel Aviv University

Israel | Tel Aviv

For Physics

#24 in Asia

#1 in Israel

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1956

91. Lund University

For Physics

#14 in Europe

#1 in Sweden

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

92. KAIST

South Korea | Daejeon

For Physics

#25 in Asia

#2 in South Korea

Enrollment: 10,249
Founded: 1971

93. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Physics

#49 in North America

#44 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,694

94. University of Pittsburgh

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#50 in North America

#45 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 87%

95. Technical University of Denmark

Denmark | Kongens Lyngby

For Physics

#15 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1829

96. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Physics

#51 in North America

#46 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $17,411
Enrollment: 35,937

97. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#16 in Europe

#6 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

98. South China University of Technology

China | Guangzhou

For Physics

#26 in Asia

#14 in China

Enrollment: 42,720
Founded: 1952

99. University of Melbourne

Australia | Melbourne

For Physics

#5 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1853

100. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Physics

#17 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Enrollment: 28,413
Male:Female: 45:55
Founded: 1386

Physics subfields in the World

Acoustical Engineering4449

Applied/Engineering Physics1260

Astrobiology1343

Astrophysics and Astronomy4563

Atomic and Molecular physics2461

Condensed Matter Physics3091

Materials Science5728

Medical Physics1004

Nanotechnology4040

Nuclear Physics3659

Optical Engineering5230

Quantum and Particle physics6157

Theoretical Physics2119