Best Universities for Physics in the World

Updated: March 02, 2025

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 1.31B citations received by 49M academic papers made by 6,713 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: 5%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $21,519

2. Stanford University

United States | California

For Physics

#2 in North America

#2 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $17,998

3. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Physics

#3 in North America

#3 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $25,951
Enrollment: 45,699

4. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Physics

#4 in North America

#4 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $17,900

5. University of Tokyo

For Physics

#1 in Asia

#1 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 28,479
Founded: 1877

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: 66%

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 Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#2 in Europe

#2 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

10. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Physics

#6 in North America

#6 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 61%

11. California Institute of Technology

United States | California

For Physics

#7 in North America

#7 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Net Price: $23,397
Receiving Aid: 68%
Average Aid: $60,201

12. Cornell University

United States | New York State

For Physics

#8 in North America

#8 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,455

13. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Physics

#9 in North America

#9 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $22,441
Enrollment: 46,678

14. Kyoto University

For Physics

#3 in Asia

#2 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 22,455
Founded: 1897

15. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Physics

#10 in North America

#10 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Receiving Aid: 55%
Average Aid: $14,390
Enrollment: 55,620

16. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Physics

#11 in North America

#1 in Canada

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

17. Princeton University

United States | New Jersey

For Physics

#12 in North America

#11 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $19,811

18. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#13 in North America

#12 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 66%

19. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Physics

#14 in North America

#13 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1360
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 69%

20. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Physics

#15 in North America

#14 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1435
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 60%

21. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#3 in Europe

#3 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

22. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Physics

#16 in North America

#15 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $24,176
Enrollment: 42,376

23. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

United States | Minnesota

For Physics

#17 in North America

#16 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 81%

24. Tohoku University

For Physics

#4 in Asia

#3 in Japan

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

25. Osaka University

For Physics

#5 in Asia

#4 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 23,123
Founded: 1931

26. Zhejiang University

China | Hangzhou

For Physics

#6 in Asia

#2 in China

Enrollment: 60,739
Founded: 1897

27. Georgia Institute of Technology

United States | Georgia

For Physics

#18 in North America

#17 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Average SAT: 1430
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 73%

28. University of Maryland - College Park

United States | Maryland

For Physics

#19 in North America

#18 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1445
Average ACT: 34
Receiving Aid: 65%

29. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Physics

#4 in Europe

#1 in Switzerland

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

30. National University of Singapore

Singapore | Singapore City

For Physics

#7 in Asia

#1 in Singapore

Enrollment: 30,098
Founded: 1905

31. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Physics

#20 in North America

#19 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $20,869

32. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#5 in Europe

#4 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

33. Johns Hopkins University

United States | Maryland

For Physics

#21 in North America

#20 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Average SAT: 1555
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $22,844

34. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#22 in North America

#21 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,017

35. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Physics

#6 in Europe

#2 in Switzerland

Enrollment: 12,576

36. Northwestern University

United States | Illinois

For Physics

#23 in North America

#22 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $23,341

37. University of California - Santa Barbara

United States | California

For Physics

#24 in North America

#23 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $21,732
Enrollment: 26,068

38. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

China | Shanghai

For Physics

#8 in Asia

#3 in China

Enrollment: 47,000
Founded: 1896

39. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Physics

#25 in North America

#24 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 1405
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 75%

40. Purdue University

United States | Indiana

For Physics

#26 in North America

#25 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1325
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 60%

41. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#7 in Europe

#5 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1824

42. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Physics

#27 in North America

#26 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,044

43. University of Science and Technology of China

For Physics

#9 in Asia

#4 in China

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1958

44. Peking University

China | Beijing

For Physics

#10 in Asia

#5 in China

Enrollment: 44,730
Founded: 1898

45. Nanyang Technological University

Singapore | Singapore City

For Physics

#11 in Asia

#2 in Singapore

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1955

46. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Physics

#28 in North America

#27 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $27,979

47. Texas A&M University - College Station

United States | Texas

For Physics

#29 in North America

#28 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 77%

48. Harbin Institute of Technology

For Physics

#12 in Asia

#6 in China

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1920

49. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Physics

#30 in North America

#2 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 71,201
Founded: 1908

50. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Physics

#31 in North America

#29 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 92%

51. 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

52. University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Physics

#13 in Asia

#7 in China

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

53. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Physics

#9 in Europe

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

54. Tokyo Institute of Technology

For Physics

#14 in Asia

#5 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1881

55. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Physics

#32 in North America

#30 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 98%

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. University of Southern California

United States | California

For Physics

#33 in North America

#31 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1495
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $41,496

58. Huazhong University of Science and Technology

For Physics

#15 in Asia

#8 in China

Enrollment: 71,970
Founded: 1953

59. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Physics

#34 in North America

#32 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $21,258
Enrollment: 39,707

60. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#35 in North America

#33 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $32,964

61. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

United States | New Jersey

For Physics

#36 in North America

#34 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 71%

62. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Physics

#11 in Europe

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

63. Seoul National University

South Korea | Seoul

For Physics

#16 in Asia

#1 in South Korea

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

64. University of Colorado Boulder

United States | Colorado

For Physics

#37 in North America

#35 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1325
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 66%

65. McGill University

Canada | Quebec State

For Physics

#38 in North America

#3 in Canada

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

66. Xi'an Jiaotong University

For Physics

#17 in Asia

#9 in China

Enrollment: 40,346
Founded: 1896

67. University of New South Wales

Australia | Sydney

For Physics

#1 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 63,864
Founded: 1949

68. Nanjing University

China | Nanjing

For Physics

#18 in Asia

#10 in China

Enrollment: 56,068
Founded: 1902

69. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

United States | North Carolina

For Physics

#39 in North America

#36 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1450
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 58%

70. Nagoya University

For Physics

#19 in Asia

#6 in Japan

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

71. University of Alberta

Canada | Alberta

For Physics

#40 in North America

#4 in Canada

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

72. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Physics

#12 in Europe

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

73. Tianjin University

China | Tianjin

For Physics

#20 in Asia

#11 in China

Enrollment: 35,370
Founded: 1895

74. New York University

United States | New York State

For Physics

#41 in North America

#37 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $30,730

75. University of Sao Paulo

Brazil | Sao Paulo

For Physics

#1 in Latin America

#1 in Brazil

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

76. Michigan State University

United States | Michigan

For Physics

#42 in North America

#38 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1250
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 97%

77. Arizona State University - Tempe

United States | Arizona

For Physics

#43 in North America

#39 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $11,992
Enrollment: 79,593

78. Kyushu University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Physics

#21 in Asia

#7 in Japan

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

79. University of Sydney

Australia | Sydney

For Physics

#2 in Australia

Enrollment: 63,602
Founded: 1850

80. University of Waterloo

Canada | Ontario

For Physics

#44 in North America

#5 in Canada

Founded: 1957

81. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Physics

#45 in North America

#40 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,422

82. Fudan University

China | Shanghai

For Physics

#22 in Asia

#12 in China

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1905

83. University of Queensland

Australia | St Lucia

For Physics

#3 in Australia

Enrollment: 48,771
Founded: 1909

84. Iowa State University

United States | Iowa State

For Physics

#46 in North America

#41 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 89%

85. Australian National University

Australia | Canberra

For Physics

#4 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1946

86. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

United States | North Carolina

For Physics

#47 in North America

#42 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Average SAT: 1380
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 68%

87. Jilin University

China | Changchun

For Physics

#23 in Asia

#13 in China

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

88. University of Pittsburgh

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#48 in North America

#43 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1360
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 87%

89. University of Utah

United States | Utah

For Physics

#49 in North America

#44 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1289
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 79%

90. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

United States | Virginia

For Physics

#50 in North America

#45 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1330
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 69%

91. South China University of Technology

China | Guangzhou

For Physics

#24 in Asia

#14 in China

Enrollment: 42,720
Founded: 1952

92. Tel Aviv University

Israel | Tel Aviv

For Physics

#25 in Asia

#1 in Israel

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1956

93. Moscow State University

Russia | Moscow

For Physics

#13 in Europe

#1 in Russia

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1755

94. Central South University

China | Changsha

For Physics

#26 in Asia

#15 in China

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1914

95. KAIST

South Korea | Daejeon

For Physics

#27 in Asia

#2 in South Korea

Enrollment: 10,249
Founded: 1971

96. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Physics

#14 in Europe

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

97. Technical University of Denmark

Denmark | Kongens Lyngby

For Physics

#15 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1829

98. Sichuan University

China | Chengdu

For Physics

#28 in Asia

#16 in China

Enrollment: 44,200
Founded: 1896

99. University of Melbourne

Australia | Melbourne

For Physics

#5 in Australia

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

100. Lund University

For Physics

#16 in Europe

#1 in Sweden

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

Physics subfields in the World

Acoustical Engineering4702

Applied/Engineering Physics1488

Astrobiology1453

Astrophysics and Astronomy4818

Atomic and Molecular physics2546

Condensed Matter Physics3183

Materials Science5843

Medical Physics1010

Nanotechnology4181

Nuclear Physics3848

Optical Engineering5380

Quantum and Particle physics6278

Theoretical Physics2293