Best Universities for Nuclear Physics in the World

Updated: July 18, 2023

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 1.8B citations received by 83.2M academic papers made by 3,416 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: 35%
Enrollment: 28,133
Founded: 1877

2. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#1 in North America

#1 in the United States

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

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

United States | Massachusetts

For Nuclear Physics

#2 in North America

#2 in the United States

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

4. Stanford University

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#3 in North America

#3 in the United States

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

5. Princeton University

United States | New Jersey

For Nuclear Physics

#4 in North America

#4 in the United States

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

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

8. Tohoku University

For Nuclear Physics

#4 in Asia

#4 in Japan

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

9. University of Maryland - College Park

United States | Maryland

For Nuclear Physics

#5 in North America

#5 in the United States

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

10. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Nuclear Physics

#6 in North America

#6 in the United States

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

11. California Institute of Technology

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#7 in North America

#7 in the United States

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

12. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#8 in North America

#8 in the United States

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

13. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

United States | Michigan

For Nuclear Physics

#9 in North America

#9 in the United States

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

14. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Nuclear Physics

#1 in Europe

#1 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

15. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Nuclear Physics

#10 in North America

#10 in the United States

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

16. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Nuclear Physics

#2 in Europe

#2 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1096

17. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Nuclear Physics

#3 in Europe

#3 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1824

18. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Nuclear Physics

#11 in North America

#11 in the United States

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

19. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Nuclear Physics

#4 in Europe

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

20. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Nuclear Physics

#12 in North America

#12 in the United States

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

21. Cornell University

United States | New York State

For Nuclear Physics

#13 in North America

#13 in the United States

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

22. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Nuclear Physics

#14 in North America

#14 in the United States

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

23. University of California - Santa Barbara

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#15 in North America

#15 in the United States

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

24. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#16 in North America

#16 in the United States

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

25. Nagoya University

For Nuclear Physics

#5 in Asia

#5 in Japan

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

26. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Nuclear Physics

#17 in North America

#17 in the United States

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

27. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Nuclear Physics

#5 in Europe

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

28. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

United States | Minnesota

For Nuclear Physics

#18 in North America

#18 in the United States

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

29. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Nuclear Physics

#6 in Europe

#4 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 15%
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: 6%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $33,727

31. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Nuclear Physics

#20 in North America

#20 in the United States

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

32. Stony Brook University

United States | New York State

For Nuclear Physics

#21 in North America

#21 in the United States

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

33. Moscow State University

Russia | Moscow

For Nuclear Physics

#7 in Europe

#1 in Russia

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1755

34. Michigan State University

United States | Michigan

For Nuclear Physics

#22 in North America

#22 in the United States

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

35. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Nuclear Physics

#23 in North America

#23 in the United States

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

36. Tokyo Institute of Technology

For Nuclear Physics

#6 in Asia

#6 in Japan

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

37. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Nuclear Physics

#24 in North America

#24 in the United States

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

38. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Nuclear Physics

#8 in Europe

#1 in Switzerland

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Enrollment: 23,420

39. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Nuclear Physics

#25 in North America

#1 in Canada

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

40. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

United States | North Carolina

For Nuclear Physics

#26 in North America

#25 in the United States

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

41. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Nuclear Physics

#27 in North America

#26 in the United States

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

42. Peking University

China | Beijing

For Nuclear Physics

#7 in Asia

#1 in China

Enrollment: 35,915
Founded: 1898

43. Paris-Sud University

France | Ile-de-France

For Nuclear Physics

#9 in Europe

#1 in France

Enrollment: 31,400
Founded: 2014

44. Tsinghua University

China | Beijing

For Nuclear Physics

#8 in Asia

#2 in China

Enrollment: 48,739
Founded: 1911

45. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Nuclear Physics

#10 in Europe

#2 in Switzerland

Enrollment: 12,576

46. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Germany | Rhineland-Palatinate

For Nuclear Physics

#11 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 33,132
Founded: 1946

47. University of Science and Technology of China

For Nuclear Physics

#9 in Asia

#3 in China

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1958

48. University of Colorado Boulder

United States | Colorado

For Nuclear Physics

#28 in North America

#27 in the United States

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

49. Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main

Germany | Hesse

For Nuclear Physics

#12 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 46,429
Founded: 1914

50. Texas A&M University - College Station

United States | Texas

For Nuclear Physics

#29 in North America

#28 in the United States

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

51. Kyushu University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Nuclear Physics

#10 in Asia

#7 in Japan

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

52. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Nuclear Physics

#30 in North America

#29 in the United States

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

53. Purdue University

United States | Indiana

For Nuclear Physics

#31 in North America

#30 in the United States

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

54. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Nuclear Physics

#32 in North America

#31 in the United States

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

55. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

United States | New Jersey

For Nuclear Physics

#33 in North America

#32 in the United States

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

56. Ruhr University Bochum

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Nuclear Physics

#13 in Europe

Enrollment: 42,954
Founded: 1962

57. Australian National University

Australia | Canberra

For Nuclear Physics

#1 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1946

58. Lund University

For Nuclear Physics

#14 in Europe

#1 in Sweden

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

59. Durham University

United Kingdom | England

For Nuclear Physics

#15 in Europe

#5 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

60. Iowa State University

United States | Iowa State

For Nuclear Physics

#34 in North America

#33 in the United States

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

61. University of Rochester

United States | New York State

For Nuclear Physics

#35 in North America

#34 in the United States

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

62. Weizmann Institute of Science

Israel | Rehovot

For Nuclear Physics

#11 in Asia

#1 in Israel

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

63. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Nuclear Physics

#16 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 28,413
Male:Female: 45:55
Founded: 1386

64. Northwestern University

United States | Illinois

For Nuclear Physics

#36 in North America

#35 in the United States

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

65. University of Valencia

Spain | Valencia

For Nuclear Physics

#17 in Europe

#1 in Spain

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 58,390

66. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#37 in North America

#36 in the United States

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

67. Uppsala University

Sweden | Uppsala

For Nuclear Physics

#18 in Europe

#2 in Sweden

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 35,556
Founded: 1477

68. Rice University

United States | Texas

For Nuclear Physics

#38 in North America

#37 in the United States

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

69. University of Bonn

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Nuclear Physics

#19 in Europe

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

70. Tel Aviv University

Israel | Tel Aviv

For Nuclear Physics

#12 in Asia

#2 in Israel

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1956

71. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Nuclear Physics

#20 in Europe

#1 in the Netherlands

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

72. University of Bern

Switzerland | Bern

For Nuclear Physics

#21 in Europe

#3 in Switzerland

Enrollment: 18,576

73. Polytechnic School

France | Ile-de-France

For Nuclear Physics

#22 in Europe

#2 in France

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

74. Johns Hopkins University

United States | Maryland

For Nuclear Physics

#39 in North America

#38 in the United States

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

75. Nanjing University

China | Nanjing

For Nuclear Physics

#13 in Asia

#4 in China

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

76. Georgia Institute of Technology

United States | Georgia

For Nuclear Physics

#40 in North America

#39 in the United States

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

77. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Nuclear Physics

#41 in North America

#2 in Canada

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

78. 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

79. University of Tsukuba

Japan | Tsukuba

For Nuclear Physics

#14 in Asia

#8 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 16,507
Male:Female: 61:39
Founded: 1973

80. University of Tennessee - Knoxville

United States | Tennessee

For Nuclear Physics

#42 in North America

#40 in the United States

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

81. University of Notre Dame

United States | Indiana

For Nuclear Physics

#43 in North America

#41 in the United States

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

82. University of Helsinki

Finland | Helsinki

For Nuclear Physics

#23 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 31,312
Founded: 1640

83. Hokkaido University

Japan | Sapporo

For Nuclear Physics

#15 in Asia

#9 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 17,541
Founded: 1918

84. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Nuclear Physics

#44 in North America

#42 in the United States

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

85. University of Hamburg

Germany | Hamburg State

For Nuclear Physics

#24 in Europe

Enrollment: 43,957
Founded: 1919

86. Florida State University

United States | Florida

For Nuclear Physics

#45 in North America

#43 in the United States

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

87. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Nuclear Physics

#25 in Europe

#6 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

88. Boston University

United States | Massachusetts

For Nuclear Physics

#46 in North America

#44 in the United States

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

89. Tokyo University of Science

For Nuclear Physics

#16 in Asia

#10 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1881

90. University of Utah

United States | Utah

For Nuclear Physics

#47 in North America

#45 in the United States

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

91. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Nuclear Physics

#48 in North America

#46 in the United States

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

92. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Nuclear Physics

#26 in Europe

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

93. University of Wurzburg

Germany | Bavaria

For Nuclear Physics

#27 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 28,878
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1402

94. University of Regensburg

Germany | Bavaria

For Nuclear Physics

#28 in Europe

#10 in Germany

Enrollment: 21,558
Founded: 1962

95. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

United States | North Carolina

For Nuclear Physics

#49 in North America

#47 in the United States

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

96. Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Israel | Jerusalem

For Nuclear Physics

#17 in Asia

#3 in Israel

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 23,500
Founded: 1918

97. University of Alberta

Canada | Alberta

For Nuclear Physics

#50 in North America

#3 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Founded: 1908

98. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Nuclear Physics

#51 in North America

#48 in the United States

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

99. RWTH Aachen University

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Nuclear Physics

#29 in Europe

#11 in Germany

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 44,517
Founded: 1870

100. University of Tubingen

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Nuclear Physics

#30 in Europe

#12 in Germany

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 28,515
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1477

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

Optical Engineering4982

Quantum and Particle physics5986

Theoretical Physics1946