39 Best colleges for Atomic and Molecular physics in California, US

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in California ranked based on their research performance in Atomic and Molecular physics. A graph of 4.36M citations received by 88.7K academic papers made by 39 universities in California 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. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#1 in the United States

#1 in North America

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

2. Stanford University

Stanford

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#3 in the United States

#3 in North America

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

3. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#5 in the United States

#5 in North America

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

4. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#15 in the United States

#15 in North America

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

5. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#18 in the United States

#18 in North America

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

6. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#19 in the United States

#19 in North America

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

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#38 in the United States

#39 in North America

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

8. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#43 in the United States

#46 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $21,533
Enrollment: 36,582

9. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#49 in the United States

#52 in North America

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

10. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#74 in the United States

#82 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Receiving Aid: 75%
Average Aid: $21,566
Enrollment: 26,426

11. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#79 in the United States

#90 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $21,564
Enrollment: 19,764

12. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#108 in the United States

#130 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 3,126
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1864

13. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#150 in the United States

#175 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $12,478
Enrollment: 25,080

14. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#172 in the United States

#198 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $5,459
Enrollment: 39,241

15. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#174 in the United States

#200 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $24,868
Enrollment: 9,147

16. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#188 in the United States

#214 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $12,000
Enrollment: 37,760

17. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#212 in the United States

#240 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $10,445
Enrollment: 41,962

18. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#215 in the United States

#243 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $30,975

19. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#226 in the United States

#255 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 2,600
Male:Female: 79:21
Founded: 1909

20. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#233 in the United States

#263 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Receiving Aid: 67%
Average Aid: $11,311
Enrollment: 36,062

21. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#235 in the United States

#265 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $10,512
Enrollment: 40,278

22. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#237 in the United States

#267 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $11,498
Enrollment: 23,908

23. Harvey Mudd College

Claremont

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#254 in the United States

#287 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $42,720

24. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#291 in the United States

#331 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Receiving Aid: 78%
Average Aid: $10,441
Enrollment: 26,848

25. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#309 in the United States

#351 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Receiving Aid: 73%
Average Aid: $10,046
Enrollment: 6,156

26. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#310 in the United States

#352 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 1300
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $44,104

27. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#348 in the United States

#394 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $12,707
Enrollment: 22,485

28. Pomona College

Claremont

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#350 in the United States

#396 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $17,423

29. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#356 in the United States

#402 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1420
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $49,651

30. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#359 in the United States

#405 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $11,412
Enrollment: 23,986

31. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#362 in the United States

#408 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Net Price: $37,675
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $37,444

32. Chapman University

Orange

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#367 in the United States

#413 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1340
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $48,037

33. Occidental College

Los Angeles

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#382 in the United States

#428 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Average SAT: 1430
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $47,113

34. Loma Linda University

Loma Linda

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#388 in the United States

#434 in North America

Enrollment: 4,202
Male:Female: 33:67
Founded: 1905

35. California State University Maritime Academy

Vallejo

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#411 in the United States

#458 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Receiving Aid: 66%
Average Aid: $11,063
Enrollment: 805

36. California State University - East Bay

Hayward

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#418 in the United States

#465 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $10,886
Enrollment: 13,333

37. Palo Alto University

Palo Alto

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#436 in the United States

#484 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 1,223
Male:Female: 15:85
Founded: 1975

38. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#437 in the United States

#485 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $11,503
Enrollment: 31,172

39. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson

For Atomic and Molecular physics

#438 in the United States

#486 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $11,074
Enrollment: 15,181

Closest to California states to learn Atomic and Molecular physics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	7	68
Utah	4	45
Arizona	3	34
Idaho	3	110
Washington	6	9
Colorado	7	11
New Mexico	3	63
Nebraska	5	66
South Dakota	4	256
Kansas	3	50
Texas	30	13
Oklahoma	4	92
North Dakota	2	163
Minnesota	6	8
Iowa	4	35
Missouri	9	56
Arkansas	4	86
Louisiana	7	55
Wisconsin	10	10
Illinois	16	6
Mississippi	4	143
Indiana	11	36
Michigan	13	14
Tennessee	10	39
Alabama	9	87
Kentucky	5	75
Ohio	20	26
Georgia	10	32
South Carolina	5	91
North Carolina	13	27
Virginia	13	41
Pennsylvania	23	24
Florida	14	30
District of Columbia	5	102
Maryland	9	16
New York	46	12
New Jersey	8	4
Connecticut	9	17
Massachusetts	20	2
New Hampshire	3	113
Rhode Island	3	67
Maine	4	159
Puerto Rico	2	195