Best Universities for Physics in North America

Updated: July 18, 2023

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in North America ranked based on their research performance in Physics. A graph of 770M citations received by 24.2M academic papers made by 1,508 universities in North America 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 the United States

#1 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Net Price: $30,958
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $32,562

2. Stanford University

United States | California

For Physics

#2 in the United States

#2 in the World

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 the United States

#3 in the World

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

4. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Physics

#4 in the United States

#5 in the World

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

5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

United States | Michigan

For Physics

#5 in the United States

#6 in the World

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

6. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Physics

#6 in the United States

#9 in the World

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

7. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Physics

#1 in Canada

#12 in the World

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

8. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Physics

#7 in the United States

#13 in the World

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

9. California Institute of Technology

United States | California

For Physics

#8 in the United States

#14 in the World

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

10. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Physics

#9 in the United States

#15 in the World

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

11. Cornell University

United States | New York State

For Physics

#10 in the United States

#16 in the World

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

12. Princeton University

United States | New Jersey

For Physics

#11 in the United States

#17 in the World

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

13. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Physics

#12 in the United States

#18 in the World

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

14. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#13 in the United States

#19 in the World

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

15. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Physics

#14 in the United States

#21 in the World

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

16. Georgia Institute of Technology

United States | Georgia

For Physics

#15 in the United States

#24 in the World

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

17. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Physics

#16 in the United States

#25 in the World

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

18. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

United States | Minnesota

For Physics

#17 in the United States

#26 in the World

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

19. University of California - Santa Barbara

United States | California

For Physics

#18 in the United States

#28 in the World

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

20. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#19 in the United States

#29 in the World

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

21. University of Maryland - College Park

United States | Maryland

For Physics

#20 in the United States

#30 in the World

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

22. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Physics

#21 in the United States

#32 in the World

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

23. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Physics

#22 in the United States

#33 in the World

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

24. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Physics

#23 in the United States

#36 in the World

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

25. Texas A&M University - College Station

United States | Texas

For Physics

#24 in the United States

#40 in the World

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

26. Northwestern University

United States | Illinois

For Physics

#25 in the United States

#42 in the World

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

27. Purdue University

United States | Indiana

For Physics

#26 in the United States

#44 in the World

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

28. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Physics

#2 in Canada

#45 in the World

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

29. Johns Hopkins University

United States | Maryland

For Physics

#27 in the United States

#46 in the World

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

30. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Physics

#28 in the United States

#47 in the World

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

31. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Physics

#29 in the United States

#48 in the World

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

32. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Physics

#30 in the United States

#50 in the World

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

33. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Physics

#31 in the United States

#55 in the World

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

34. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#32 in the United States

#56 in the World

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

35. University of Southern California

United States | California

For Physics

#33 in the United States

#57 in the World

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

36. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

United States | New Jersey

For Physics

#34 in the United States

#59 in the World

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

37. McGill University

Canada | Quebec State

For Physics

#3 in Canada

#61 in the World

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

38. University of Colorado Boulder

United States | Colorado

For Physics

#35 in the United States

#63 in the World

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

39. University of Alberta

Canada | Alberta

For Physics

#4 in Canada

#65 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Founded: 1908

40. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

United States | North Carolina

For Physics

#36 in the United States

#66 in the World

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

41. Michigan State University

United States | Michigan

For Physics

#37 in the United States

#67 in the World

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

42. Iowa State University

United States | Iowa State

For Physics

#38 in the United States

#69 in the World

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

43. University of Waterloo

Canada | Ontario

For Physics

#5 in Canada

#72 in the World

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

44. Arizona State University - Tempe

United States | Arizona

For Physics

#39 in the United States

#73 in the World

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

45. Boston University

United States | Massachusetts

For Physics

#40 in the United States

#74 in the World

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

46. University of Utah

United States | Utah

For Physics

#41 in the United States

#79 in the World

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

47. New York University

United States | New York State

For Physics

#42 in the United States

#80 in the World

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

48. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

United States | North Carolina

For Physics

#43 in the United States

#81 in the World

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

49. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

United States | Virginia

For Physics

#44 in the United States

#82 in the World

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

50. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Physics

#45 in the United States

#85 in the World

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

51. University of Pittsburgh

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#46 in the United States

#90 in the World

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

52. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Physics

#47 in the United States

#93 in the World

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

53. University of Virginia

United States | Virginia

For Physics

#48 in the United States

#103 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 34
Receiving Aid: 63%

54. Stony Brook University

United States | New York State

For Physics

#49 in the United States

#108 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 82%

55. University of Rochester

United States | New York State

For Physics

#50 in the United States

#109 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Average SAT: 1445
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $40,125

56. University of California - San Francisco

United States | California

For Physics

#51 in the United States

#111 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 3,165
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1864

57. Washington University in St Louis

United States | Missouri

For Physics

#52 in the United States

#112 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $28,298

58. Case Western Reserve University

United States | Ohio

For Physics

#53 in the United States

#126 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $38,166

59. Rice University

United States | Texas

For Physics

#54 in the United States

#130 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $18,521

60. University of Massachusetts - Amherst

United States | Massachusetts

For Physics

#55 in the United States

#140 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1355
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 88%

61. McMaster University

Canada | Ontario

For Physics

#6 in Canada

#141 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Enrollment: 30,117
Founded: 1887

62. Queen's University

Canada | Ontario

For Physics

#7 in Canada

#145 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Enrollment: 30,386
Founded: 1841

63. University of Calgary

Canada | Alberta

For Physics

#8 in Canada

#148 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1966

64. University of Tennessee - Knoxville

United States | Tennessee

For Physics

#56 in the United States

#155 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 92%

65. University of Iowa

United States | Iowa State

For Physics

#57 in the United States

#156 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 87%

66. University of Delaware

United States | Delaware

For Physics

#58 in the United States

#157 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1248
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 90%

67. Brown University

United States | Rhode Island

For Physics

#59 in the United States

#164 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1515
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $25,028

68. Western University

Canada | Ontario

For Physics

#9 in Canada

#166 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Enrollment: 27,300
Founded: 1878

69. University of Notre Dame

United States | Indiana

For Physics

#60 in the United States

#175 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Average SAT: 1480
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $30,513

70. Providence College

United States | Rhode Island

For Physics

#61 in the United States

#177 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $39,566

71. Vanderbilt University

United States | Tennessee

For Physics

#62 in the United States

#185 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $27,553

72. University of Connecticut

United States | Connecticut

For Physics

#63 in the United States

#192 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1330
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 82%

73. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

United States | New York State

For Physics

#64 in the United States

#193 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $40,070

74. University of California - Riverside

United States | California

For Physics

#65 in the United States

#196 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $18,676
Enrollment: 26,847

75. University of Illinois at Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Physics

#66 in the United States

#202 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1195
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 81%

76. University of Montreal

Canada | Quebec State

For Physics

#10 in Canada

#203 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Enrollment: 45,360
Founded: 1878

77. University of California - Santa Cruz

United States | California

For Physics

#67 in the United States

#206 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $19,199
Enrollment: 19,841

78. University of Kentucky

United States | Kentucky

For Physics

#68 in the United States

#207 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1207
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 94%

79. University of Houston

United States | Texas

For Physics

#69 in the United States

#209 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 85%

80. Florida State University

United States | Florida

For Physics

#70 in the United States

#214 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 96%

81. University of Ottawa

Canada | Ontario

For Physics

#11 in Canada

#216 in the World

Enrollment: 42,027
Founded: 1848

82. Colorado State University - Fort Collins

United States | Colorado

For Physics

#71 in the United States

#217 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 84%

83. Emory University

United States | Georgia

For Physics

#72 in the United States

#229 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1480
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $28,367

84. University of Central Florida

United States | Florida

For Physics

#73 in the United States

#234 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 94%

85. University of Cincinnati

United States | Ohio

For Physics

#74 in the United States

#243 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1250
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 85%

86. Oregon State University

United States | Oregon

For Physics

#75 in the United States

#245 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 93%

87. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

United States | Louisiana

For Physics

#76 in the United States

#246 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 95%

88. University of Missouri - Columbia

United States | Missouri

For Physics

#77 in the United States

#248 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 91%

89. University of New Mexico

United States | New Mexico

For Physics

#78 in the United States

#260 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $7,531

90. University at Buffalo

United States | New York State

For Physics

#79 in the United States

#262 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 84%

91. University of South Carolina - Columbia

United States | South Carolina

For Physics

#80 in the United States

#264 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 95%

92. Washington State University

United States | Washington

For Physics

#81 in the United States

#265 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $9,993
Enrollment: 29,843

93. University of Nebraska - Lincoln

United States | Nebraska

For Physics

#82 in the United States

#270 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1205
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 97%

94. University of Miami

United States | Florida

For Physics

#83 in the United States

#279 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Average SAT: 1380
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $34,492

95. Wayne State University

United States | Michigan

For Physics

#84 in the United States

#282 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1145
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 99%

96. Laval University

Canada | Quebec State

For Physics

#12 in Canada

#285 in the World

Enrollment: 45,000
Founded: 1852

97. Northeastern University

United States | Massachusetts

For Physics

#85 in the United States

#286 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Average SAT: 1490
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $38,927

98. Drexel University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Physics

#86 in the United States

#292 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $26,076

99. Tufts University

United States | Massachusetts

For Physics

#87 in the United States

#293 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1495
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $31,630

100. Clemson University

United States | South Carolina

For Physics

#88 in the United States

#294 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1320
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 87%

Physics subfields in North America

Acoustical Engineering829

Applied/Engineering Physics231

Astrobiology325

Astrophysics and Astronomy894

Atomic and Molecular physics446

Condensed Matter Physics447

Materials Science1125

Medical Physics252

Nanotechnology569

Nuclear Physics623

Optical Engineering956

Quantum and Particle physics1318

Theoretical Physics381