51 Best colleges for Nuclear 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 Nuclear Physics. A graph of 9.76M citations received by 199K academic papers made by 51 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 Nuclear 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 Nuclear Physics

#3 in the United States

#3 in North America

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

3. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Nuclear Physics

#5 in the United States

#5 in North America

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

4. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Nuclear Physics

#6 in the United States

#6 in North America

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

5. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Nuclear Physics

#16 in the United States

#16 in North America

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

6. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Nuclear Physics

#17 in the United States

#17 in North America

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

7. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Nuclear Physics

#37 in the United States

#38 in North America

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

8. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Nuclear Physics

#41 in the United States

#43 in North America

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

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Nuclear Physics

#51 in the United States

#56 in North America

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

10. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Nuclear Physics

#58 in the United States

#64 in North America

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

11. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Nuclear Physics

#59 in the United States

#65 in North America

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

12. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Nuclear Physics

#61 in the United States

#67 in North America

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

13. Loma Linda University

Loma Linda

For Nuclear Physics

#165 in the United States

#191 in North America

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

14. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Nuclear Physics

#182 in the United States

#208 in North America

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

15. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Nuclear Physics

#183 in the United States

#209 in North America

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

16. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Nuclear Physics

#200 in the United States

#227 in North America

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

17. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Nuclear Physics

#208 in the United States

#237 in North America

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

18. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Nuclear Physics

#211 in the United States

#240 in North America

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

19. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Nuclear Physics

#218 in the United States

#247 in North America

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

20. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Nuclear Physics

#223 in the United States

#253 in North America

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

21. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Nuclear Physics

#231 in the United States

#262 in North America

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

22. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Nuclear Physics

#282 in the United States

#318 in North America

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

23. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Nuclear Physics

#289 in the United States

#327 in North America

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

24. Pomona College

Claremont

For Nuclear Physics

#290 in the United States

#328 in North America

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

25. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Nuclear Physics

#294 in the United States

#332 in North America

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

26. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Nuclear Physics

#295 in the United States

#334 in North America

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

27. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Nuclear Physics

#299 in the United States

#338 in North America

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

28. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Nuclear Physics

#342 in the United States

#385 in North America

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

29. Chapman University

Orange

For Nuclear Physics

#347 in the United States

#390 in North America

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

30. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Nuclear Physics

#358 in the United States

#403 in North America

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

31. Harvey Mudd College

Claremont

For Nuclear Physics

#359 in the United States

#404 in North America

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

32. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Nuclear Physics

#360 in the United States

#405 in North America

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

33. Palo Alto University

Palo Alto

For Nuclear Physics

#364 in the United States

#409 in North America

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

34. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Nuclear Physics

#370 in the United States

#416 in North America

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

35. Occidental College

Los Angeles

For Nuclear Physics

#418 in the United States

#467 in North America

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

36. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson

For Nuclear Physics

#421 in the United States

#470 in North America

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

37. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Nuclear Physics

#441 in the United States

#491 in North America

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

38. California State University - East Bay

Hayward

For Nuclear Physics

#455 in the United States

#505 in North America

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

39. West Los Angeles College

Culver

For Nuclear Physics

#474 in the United States

#524 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $6,817
Enrollment: 9,299

40. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Nuclear Physics

#480 in the United States

#530 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Net Price: $54,471
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $21,575

41. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Nuclear Physics

#497 in the United States

#549 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 73%
Average Aid: $10,331
Enrollment: 14,523

42. Western University of Health Sciences

Pomona

For Nuclear Physics

#529 in the United States

#581 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 3,625
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1977

43. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield

For Nuclear Physics

#535 in the United States

#587 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $12,437
Enrollment: 9,787

44. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Nuclear Physics

#561 in the United States

#615 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $10,421
Enrollment: 18,925

45. Whittier College

Whittier

For Nuclear Physics

#567 in the United States

#621 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Net Price: $32,436
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $32,008

46. California State University Maritime Academy

Vallejo

For Nuclear Physics

#570 in the United States

#624 in North America

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

47. Westmont College

Santa Barbara

For Nuclear Physics

#575 in the United States

#629 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1315
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $36,412

48. United States University

San Diego

For Nuclear Physics

#580 in the United States

#634 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $20,197
Receiving Aid: 32%
Average Aid: $8,161

49. Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park

For Nuclear Physics

#596 in the United States

#650 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $8,546
Enrollment: 5,990

50. Master's University and Seminary

Santa Clarita

For Nuclear Physics

#604 in the United States

#658 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Net Price: $33,463
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $15,528

51. Soka University of America

Aliso Viejo

For Nuclear Physics

#614 in the United States

#668 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average SAT: 1340
Net Price: $18,807
Receiving Aid: 100%

Closest to California states to learn Nuclear Physics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	9	80
Utah	5	43
Arizona	4	30
Idaho	3	119
Washington	12	13
Colorado	12	24
New Mexico	5	63
Montana	3	127
Nebraska	6	77
South Dakota	6	275
Kansas	5	84
Texas	42	15
Oklahoma	7	107
North Dakota	2	197
Minnesota	12	18
Iowa	8	42
Missouri	10	56
Arkansas	6	140
Louisiana	12	71
Wisconsin	12	10
Illinois	30	12
Mississippi	5	168
Indiana	14	28
Michigan	17	9
Tennessee	16	36
Alabama	10	96
Kentucky	8	73
Ohio	29	21
Georgia	14	38
South Carolina	8	91
North Carolina	18	33
Virginia	19	50
Pennsylvania	33	22
Florida	24	29
District of Columbia	7	93
Maryland	13	8
New York	68	11
New Jersey	13	4
Vermont	4	162
Hawaii	2	110
Connecticut	11	20
Massachusetts	27	2
New Hampshire	3	81
Rhode Island	3	65
Maine	5	189
Puerto Rico	5	230