Best Universities for Nuclear 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 Nuclear Physics. A graph of 109M citations received by 4.42M academic papers made by 3,659 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. University of Tokyo

For Nuclear Physics

#1 in Asia

#1 in Japan

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

2. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#1 in North America

#1 in the United States

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

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

United States | Massachusetts

For Nuclear Physics

#2 in North America

#2 in the United States

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

4. Stanford University

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#3 in North America

#3 in the United States

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

5. Princeton University

United States | New Jersey

For Nuclear Physics

#4 in North America

#4 in the United States

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

6. Kyoto University

For Nuclear Physics

#2 in Asia

#2 in Japan

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

7. Osaka University

For Nuclear Physics

#3 in Asia

#3 in Japan

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

8. Tohoku University

For Nuclear Physics

#4 in Asia

#4 in Japan

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

9. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#5 in North America

#5 in the United States

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

10. University of Maryland - College Park

United States | Maryland

For Nuclear Physics

#6 in North America

#6 in the United States

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

11. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Nuclear Physics

#7 in North America

#7 in the United States

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

12. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

United States | Michigan

For Nuclear Physics

#8 in North America

#8 in the United States

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

13. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Nuclear Physics

#9 in North America

#9 in the United States

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

14. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Nuclear Physics

#1 in Europe

#1 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

15. California Institute of Technology

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#10 in North America

#10 in the United States

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

16. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Nuclear Physics

#2 in Europe

#2 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

17. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Nuclear Physics

#11 in North America

#11 in the United States

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

18. Cornell University

United States | New York State

For Nuclear Physics

#12 in North America

#12 in the United States

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

19. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Nuclear Physics

#13 in North America

#13 in the United States

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

20. University of California - Santa Barbara

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#14 in North America

#14 in the United States

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

21. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Nuclear Physics

#15 in North America

#15 in the United States

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

22. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Nuclear Physics

#3 in Europe

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

23. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Nuclear Physics

#4 in Europe

#3 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1824

24. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#16 in North America

#16 in the United States

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

25. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

United States | Minnesota

For Nuclear Physics

#17 in North America

#17 in the United States

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

26. Nagoya University

For Nuclear Physics

#5 in Asia

#5 in Japan

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

27. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Nuclear Physics

#18 in North America

#18 in the United States

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

28. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Nuclear Physics

#5 in Europe

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

29. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Nuclear Physics

#6 in Europe

#4 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

30. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Nuclear Physics

#19 in North America

#19 in the United States

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

31. Moscow State University

Russia | Moscow

For Nuclear Physics

#7 in Europe

#1 in Russia

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1755

32. Peking University

China | Beijing

For Nuclear Physics

#6 in Asia

#1 in China

Enrollment: 44,730
Founded: 1898

33. Pierre and Marie Curie University

France | Ile-de-France

For Nuclear Physics

#8 in Europe

#1 in France

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

34. Paris-Sud University

France | Ile-de-France

For Nuclear Physics

#9 in Europe

#2 in France

Enrollment: 31,400
Founded: 2014

35. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Nuclear Physics

#10 in Europe

#1 in Switzerland

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

36. Tokyo Institute of Technology

For Nuclear Physics

#7 in Asia

#6 in Japan

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

37. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Nuclear Physics

#11 in Europe

#2 in Switzerland

Enrollment: 12,576

38. Tsinghua University

China | Beijing

For Nuclear Physics

#8 in Asia

#2 in China

Enrollment: 48,739
Founded: 1911

39. University of Science and Technology of China

For Nuclear Physics

#9 in Asia

#3 in China

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1958

40. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Nuclear Physics

#20 in North America

#1 in Canada

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

41. Michigan State University

United States | Michigan

For Nuclear Physics

#21 in North America

#20 in the United States

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

42. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Nuclear Physics

#22 in North America

#21 in the United States

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

43. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Nuclear Physics

#23 in North America

#22 in the United States

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

44. Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main

Germany | Hesse

For Nuclear Physics

#12 in Europe

Enrollment: 43,461
Founded: 1914

45. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Nuclear Physics

#24 in North America

#23 in the United States

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

46. Stony Brook University

United States | New York State

For Nuclear Physics

#25 in North America

#24 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1410
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 88%

47. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Nuclear Physics

#13 in Europe

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

48. University of Colorado Boulder

United States | Colorado

For Nuclear Physics

#26 in North America

#25 in the United States

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

49. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Nuclear Physics

#27 in North America

#26 in the United States

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

50. Kyushu University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Nuclear Physics

#10 in Asia

#7 in Japan

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

51. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Nuclear Physics

#28 in North America

#27 in the United States

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

52. Texas A&M University - College Station

United States | Texas

For Nuclear Physics

#29 in North America

#28 in the United States

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

53. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Nuclear Physics

#30 in North America

#29 in the United States

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

54. Purdue University

United States | Indiana

For Nuclear Physics

#31 in North America

#30 in the United States

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

55. Ruhr University Bochum

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Nuclear Physics

#14 in Europe

Enrollment: 42,954
Founded: 1962

56. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Germany | Rhineland-Palatinate

For Nuclear Physics

#15 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Enrollment: 33,132
Founded: 1946

57. Australian National University

Australia | Canberra

For Nuclear Physics

#1 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1946

58. Northwestern University

United States | Illinois

For Nuclear Physics

#32 in North America

#31 in the United States

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

59. Lund University

For Nuclear Physics

#16 in Europe

#1 in Sweden

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

60. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Nuclear Physics

#17 in Europe

#5 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

61. Johns Hopkins University

United States | Maryland

For Nuclear Physics

#33 in North America

#32 in the United States

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

62. University of Rochester

United States | New York State

For Nuclear Physics

#34 in North America

#33 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Average SAT: 1465
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $39,775

63. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

United States | North Carolina

For Nuclear Physics

#35 in North America

#34 in the United States

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

64. Polytechnic School

France | Ile-de-France

For Nuclear Physics

#18 in Europe

#3 in France

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 2,316
Founded: 1794

65. Durham University

United Kingdom | England

For Nuclear Physics

#19 in Europe

#6 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

66. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

United States | New Jersey

For Nuclear Physics

#36 in North America

#35 in the United States

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

67. University of Hamburg

Germany | Hamburg State

For Nuclear Physics

#20 in Europe

Enrollment: 43,957
Founded: 1919

68. Uppsala University

Sweden | Uppsala

For Nuclear Physics

#21 in Europe

#2 in Sweden

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Enrollment: 35,556
Founded: 1477

69. Nanjing University

China | Nanjing

For Nuclear Physics

#11 in Asia

#4 in China

Enrollment: 56,068
Founded: 1902

70. Iowa State University

United States | Iowa State

For Nuclear Physics

#37 in North America

#36 in the United States

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

71. Weizmann Institute of Science

Israel | Rehovot

For Nuclear Physics

#12 in Asia

#1 in Israel

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 1,380
Founded: 1934

72. University of Tsukuba

Japan | Tsukuba

For Nuclear Physics

#13 in Asia

#8 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 16,507
Male:Female: 61:39
Founded: 1973

73. University of Valencia

Spain | Valencia

For Nuclear Physics

#22 in Europe

#1 in Spain

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 58,390

74. University of Tennessee - Knoxville

United States | Tennessee

For Nuclear Physics

#38 in North America

#37 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1250
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 91%

75. University of Sao Paulo

Brazil | Sao Paulo

For Nuclear Physics

#1 in Latin America

#1 in Brazil

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

76. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Nuclear Physics

#23 in Europe

#1 in the Netherlands

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

77. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#39 in North America

#38 in the United States

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

78. Hokkaido University

Japan | Sapporo

For Nuclear Physics

#14 in Asia

#9 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Enrollment: 17,541
Founded: 1918

79. Georgia Institute of Technology

United States | Georgia

For Nuclear Physics

#40 in North America

#39 in the United States

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

80. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Nuclear Physics

#41 in North America

#2 in Canada

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

81. Tel Aviv University

Israel | Tel Aviv

For Nuclear Physics

#15 in Asia

#2 in Israel

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1956

82. University of Bern

Switzerland | Bern

For Nuclear Physics

#24 in Europe

#3 in Switzerland

Enrollment: 18,576

83. Rice University

United States | Texas

For Nuclear Physics

#42 in North America

#40 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $19,902

84. University of Notre Dame

United States | Indiana

For Nuclear Physics

#43 in North America

#41 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $28,474

85. University of Bonn

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Nuclear Physics

#25 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 38,043
Founded: 1818

86. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#44 in North America

#42 in the United States

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

87. University of Helsinki

Finland | Helsinki

For Nuclear Physics

#26 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 31,312
Founded: 1640

88. Boston University

United States | Massachusetts

For Nuclear Physics

#45 in North America

#43 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $27,829

89. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Nuclear Physics

#27 in Europe

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

90. Florida State University

United States | Florida

For Nuclear Physics

#46 in North America

#44 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 93%

91. University of Utah

United States | Utah

For Nuclear Physics

#47 in North America

#45 in the United States

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

92. University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Nuclear Physics

#16 in Asia

#5 in China

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

93. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

United States | North Carolina

For Nuclear Physics

#48 in North America

#46 in the United States

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

94. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Nuclear Physics

#49 in North America

#47 in the United States

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

95. University of Stuttgart

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Nuclear Physics

#28 in Europe

Enrollment: 22,616
Founded: 1829

96. University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Nuclear Physics

#29 in Europe

#10 in Germany

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 52,418
Founded: 1472

97. University of Alberta

Canada | Alberta

For Nuclear Physics

#50 in North America

#3 in Canada

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

98. University of Wurzburg

Germany | Bavaria

For Nuclear Physics

#30 in Europe

#11 in Germany

Enrollment: 27,149
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1402

99. Tokyo University of Science

For Nuclear Physics

#17 in Asia

#10 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1881

100. Jilin University

China | Changchun

For Nuclear Physics

#18 in Asia

#6 in China

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

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

Optical Engineering5230

Quantum and Particle physics6157

Theoretical Physics2119