Best Universities for Physics in the World

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 1.8B citations received by 83.2M academic papers made by 6,484 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%
Net Price: $30,958
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $32,562

2. Stanford University

United States | California

For Physics

#2 in North America

#2 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $14,402

3. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Physics

#3 in North America

#3 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $21,406
Enrollment: 45,036

4. University of Tokyo

For Physics

#1 in Asia

#1 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 28,133
Founded: 1877

5. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Physics

#4 in North America

#4 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $13,910

6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

United States | Michigan

For Physics

#5 in North America

#5 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $16,326
Enrollment: 50,278

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: 60%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 85%

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 Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#2 in Europe

#2 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1096

12. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Physics

#7 in North America

#1 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Enrollment: 95,055
Founded: 1827

13. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Physics

#8 in North America

#7 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Receiving Aid: 54%
Average Aid: $15,895
Enrollment: 52,434

14. California Institute of Technology

United States | California

For Physics

#9 in North America

#8 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Net Price: $30,162
Receiving Aid: 67%
Average Aid: $47,556

15. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Physics

#10 in North America

#9 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 56%
Average Aid: $17,592
Enrollment: 46,116

16. Cornell University

United States | New York State

For Physics

#11 in North America

#10 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Average SAT: 1505
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $24,262

17. Princeton University

United States | New Jersey

For Physics

#12 in North America

#11 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1515
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $20,908

18. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Physics

#13 in North America

#12 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 71%

19. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#14 in North America

#13 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Receiving Aid: 73%
Average Aid: $8,719
Enrollment: 40,363

20. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#3 in Europe

#3 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

21. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Physics

#15 in North America

#14 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average SAT: 1410
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 64%

22. Tohoku University

For Physics

#4 in Asia

#3 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 17,665
Founded: 1907

23. Osaka University

For Physics

#5 in Asia

#4 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 23,044
Male:Female: 68:32
Founded: 1931

24. Georgia Institute of Technology

United States | Georgia

For Physics

#16 in North America

#15 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Average SAT: 1405
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 72%

25. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Physics

#17 in North America

#16 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Receiving Aid: 54%
Average Aid: $18,083
Enrollment: 41,885

26. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

United States | Minnesota

For Physics

#18 in North America

#17 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1400
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 82%

27. National University of Singapore

Singapore | Singapore City

For Physics

#6 in Asia

#1 in Singapore

Enrollment: 30,098
Founded: 1905

28. University of California - Santa Barbara

United States | California

For Physics

#19 in North America

#18 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $18,107
Enrollment: 26,124

29. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#20 in North America

#19 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $14,578

30. University of Maryland - College Park

United States | Maryland

For Physics

#21 in North America

#20 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Average SAT: 1420
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 68%

31. Zhejiang University

China | Hangzhou

For Physics

#7 in Asia

#2 in China

Enrollment: 60,739
Founded: 1897

32. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Physics

#22 in North America

#21 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $12,411

33. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Physics

#23 in North America

#22 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1345
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 83%

34. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Physics

#4 in Europe

#1 in Switzerland

Enrollment: 12,576

35. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#5 in Europe

#4 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1824

36. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Physics

#24 in North America

#23 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $20,605

37. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Physics

#6 in Europe

#2 in Switzerland

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Enrollment: 23,420

38. Nanyang Technological University

Singapore | Singapore City

For Physics

#8 in Asia

#2 in Singapore

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1955

39. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

China | Shanghai

For Physics

#9 in Asia

#3 in China

Enrollment: 47,000
Founded: 1896

40. Texas A&M University - College Station

United States | Texas

For Physics

#25 in North America

#24 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 78%

41. University of Science and Technology of China

For Physics

#10 in Asia

#4 in China

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1958

42. Northwestern University

United States | Illinois

For Physics

#26 in North America

#25 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $29,999

43. Tokyo Institute of Technology

For Physics

#11 in Asia

#5 in Japan

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

44. Purdue University

United States | Indiana

For Physics

#27 in North America

#26 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 73%

45. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Physics

#28 in North America

#2 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Enrollment: 59,659
Founded: 1908

46. Johns Hopkins University

United States | Maryland

For Physics

#29 in North America

#27 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Net Price: $20,680
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $45,373

47. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Physics

#30 in North America

#28 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Average SAT: 1385
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 94%

48. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Physics

#31 in North America

#29 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 95%

49. Harbin Institute of Technology

For Physics

#12 in Asia

#5 in China

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1920

50. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Physics

#32 in North America

#30 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $33,727

51. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Physics

#7 in Europe

#1 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Enrollment: 24,703
Founded: 1842

52. Peking University

China | Beijing

For Physics

#13 in Asia

#6 in China

Enrollment: 35,915
Founded: 1898

53. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Physics

#8 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 44,000
Male:Female: 63:37
Founded: 1868

54. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#9 in Europe

#5 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

55. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Physics

#33 in North America

#31 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Receiving Aid: 65%
Average Aid: $17,628
Enrollment: 40,050

56. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#34 in North America

#32 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $37,450

57. University of Southern California

United States | California

For Physics

#35 in North America

#33 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1475
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,021

58. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Physics

#10 in Europe

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

59. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

United States | New Jersey

For Physics

#36 in North America

#34 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1355
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 69%

60. Seoul National University

South Korea | Seoul

For Physics

#14 in Asia

#1 in South Korea

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 28,378
Founded: 1946

61. McGill University

Canada | Quebec State

For Physics

#37 in North America

#3 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Enrollment: 40,036
Founded: 1821

62. Huazhong University of Science and Technology

For Physics

#15 in Asia

#7 in China

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1953

63. University of Colorado Boulder

United States | Colorado

For Physics

#38 in North America

#35 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1280
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 65%

64. Nagoya University

For Physics

#16 in Asia

#6 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 16,376
Founded: 1939

65. University of Alberta

Canada | Alberta

For Physics

#39 in North America

#4 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Founded: 1908

66. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

United States | North Carolina

For Physics

#40 in North America

#36 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 60%

67. Michigan State University

United States | Michigan

For Physics

#41 in North America

#37 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 72%

68. University of New South Wales

Australia | Sydney

For Physics

#1 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1949

69. Iowa State University

United States | Iowa State

For Physics

#42 in North America

#38 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1207
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 93%

70. Kyushu University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Physics

#17 in Asia

#7 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Enrollment: 18,560
Founded: 1911

71. Xi'an Jiaotong University

For Physics

#18 in Asia

#8 in China

Enrollment: 40,346
Founded: 1896

72. University of Waterloo

Canada | Ontario

For Physics

#43 in North America

#5 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Enrollment: 35,900
Founded: 1957

73. Arizona State University - Tempe

United States | Arizona

For Physics

#44 in North America

#39 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Receiving Aid: 92%
Average Aid: $12,201
Enrollment: 77,881

74. Boston University

United States | Massachusetts

For Physics

#45 in North America

#40 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $25,852

75. Nanjing University

China | Nanjing

For Physics

#19 in Asia

#9 in China

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Enrollment: 56,068
Founded: 1902

76. University of Sydney

Australia | Sydney

For Physics

#2 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 63,602
Founded: 1850

77. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Physics

#11 in Europe

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

78. University of Queensland

Australia | St Lucia

For Physics

#3 in Australia

Enrollment: 48,771
Founded: 1909

79. University of Utah

United States | Utah

For Physics

#46 in North America

#41 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1285
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 89%

80. New York University

United States | New York State

For Physics

#47 in North America

#42 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1510
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $50,991

81. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

United States | North Carolina

For Physics

#48 in North America

#43 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Average SAT: 1355
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 74%

82. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

United States | Virginia

For Physics

#49 in North America

#44 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 72%

83. Tel Aviv University

Israel | Tel Aviv

For Physics

#20 in Asia

#1 in Israel

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1956

84. Moscow State University

Russia | Moscow

For Physics

#12 in Europe

#1 in Russia

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1755

85. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Physics

#50 in North America

#45 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1513
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $27,297

86. Tianjin University

China | Tianjin

For Physics

#21 in Asia

#10 in China

Enrollment: 35,370
Founded: 1895

87. Fudan University

China | Shanghai

For Physics

#22 in Asia

#11 in China

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1905

88. Australian National University

Australia | Canberra

For Physics

#4 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1946

89. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Physics

#13 in Europe

#6 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

90. University of Pittsburgh

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#51 in North America

#46 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1360
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 78%

91. KAIST

South Korea | Daejeon

For Physics

#23 in Asia

#2 in South Korea

Enrollment: 10,249
Founded: 1971

92. University of Sao Paulo

Brazil | Sao Paulo

For Physics

#1 in Latin America

#1 in Brazil

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

93. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Physics

#52 in North America

#47 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $16,868
Enrollment: 36,505

94. Jilin University

China | Changchun

For Physics

#24 in Asia

#12 in China

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

95. Technical University of Denmark

Denmark | Kongens Lyngby

For Physics

#14 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Founded: 1829

96. University of Melbourne

Australia | Melbourne

For Physics

#5 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1853

97. National Taiwan University

Taiwan | Taipei

For Physics

#25 in Asia

#1 in Taiwan

Enrollment: 32,500
Founded: 1945

98. Lund University

For Physics

#15 in Europe

#1 in Sweden

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

99. South China University of Technology

China | Guangzhou

For Physics

#26 in Asia

#13 in China

Enrollment: 42,720
Founded: 1952

100. Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

For Physics

#27 in Asia

#2 in Israel

Founded: 1924

Physics subfields in the World

Acoustical Engineering4182

Applied/Engineering Physics1229

Astrobiology1222

Astrophysics and Astronomy4305

Atomic and Molecular physics2261

Condensed Matter Physics2870

Materials Science5568

Medical Physics1023

Nanotechnology3831

Nuclear Physics3416

Optical Engineering4982

Quantum and Particle physics5986

Theoretical Physics1946