33 Best colleges for Nuclear Physics in Pennsylvania

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Pennsylvania ranked based on their research performance in Nuclear Physics. A graph of 2.72M citations received by 59.6K academic papers made by 33 universities in Pennsylvania 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. Pennsylvania State University

University Park

For Nuclear Physics

#22 in the United States

#23 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1330
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 67%

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

For Nuclear Physics

#26 in the United States

#27 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,570

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh

For Nuclear Physics

#45 in the United States

#48 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $35,552

4. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

For Nuclear Physics

#52 in the United States

#57 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1370
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 74%

5. Drexel University

Philadelphia

For Nuclear Physics

#100 in the United States

#114 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1340
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $42,801

6. Temple University

Philadelphia

For Nuclear Physics

#104 in the United States

#119 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $14,837
Enrollment: 29,640

7. Lehigh University

Bethlehem

For Nuclear Physics

#116 in the United States

#136 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Average SAT: 1435
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $34,154

8. Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia

For Nuclear Physics

#164 in the United States

#190 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $29,325

9. Pennsylvania State University - College of Medicine

Hershey

For Nuclear Physics

#242 in the United States

#276 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1967

10. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore

For Nuclear Physics

#258 in the United States

#292 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,469

11. California University of Pennsylvania

California

For Nuclear Physics

#294 in the United States

#333 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $6,250
Enrollment: 6,885

12. Duquesne University

Pittsburgh

For Nuclear Physics

#299 in the United States

#338 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $37,917

13. Villanova University

Villanova

For Nuclear Physics

#304 in the United States

#344 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Average SAT: 1453
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $37,201

14. University of the Sciences

Philadelphia

For Nuclear Physics

#315 in the United States

#356 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Net Price: $29,948
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $14,493

15. Haverford College

Haverford

For Nuclear Physics

#325 in the United States

#368 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1505
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,535

16. Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster

For Nuclear Physics

#329 in the United States

#372 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Average SAT: 1387
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $43,987

17. Bucknell University

Lewisburg

For Nuclear Physics

#350 in the United States

#394 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $39,003

18. Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr

For Nuclear Physics

#364 in the United States

#409 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $33,221

19. La Roche College

Pittsburgh

For Nuclear Physics

#373 in the United States

#419 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1070
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $24,108

20. Gettysburg College

Gettysburg

For Nuclear Physics

#374 in the United States

#420 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $32,769

21. Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre

For Nuclear Physics

#402 in the United States

#449 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1135
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $28,511

22. Allegheny College

Meadville

For Nuclear Physics

#425 in the United States

#475 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1266
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $26,420

23. King's College - Pennsylvania

Wilkes-Barre

For Nuclear Physics

#454 in the United States

#504 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1170
Net Price: $23,689
Receiving Aid: 100%

24. Lafayette College

Easton

For Nuclear Physics

#462 in the United States

#512 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $38,442

25. West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester

For Nuclear Physics

#485 in the United States

#535 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 88%

26. Geneva College

Beaver Falls

For Nuclear Physics

#505 in the United States

#557 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $23,528
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $21,913

27. University of Scranton

Scranton

For Nuclear Physics

#507 in the United States

#559 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1239
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $34,234

28. Juniata College

Huntingdon

For Nuclear Physics

#513 in the United States

#565 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $24,580

29. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana

For Nuclear Physics

#539 in the United States

#591 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 100%

30. Ursinus College

Collegeville

For Nuclear Physics

#543 in the United States

#596 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1293
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $32,158

31. Dickinson College

Carlisle

For Nuclear Physics

#550 in the United States

#603 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Average SAT: 1385
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $38,483

32. Muhlenberg College

Allentown

For Nuclear Physics

#626 in the United States

#681 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1330
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $34,739

33. University of Valley Forge

Phoenixville

For Nuclear Physics

#650 in the United States

#706 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Net Price: $27,083
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $18,369

Closest to Pennsylvania states to learn Nuclear Physics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Maryland	14	8
District of Columbia	7	92
New Jersey	13	4
New York	69	11
Connecticut	11	20
Virginia	19	50
Ohio	30	21
Massachusetts	27	1
Rhode Island	3	67
Vermont	4	162
New Hampshire	3	80
North Carolina	18	33
Indiana	14	28
Kentucky	8	72
Michigan	19	9
South Carolina	8	91
Maine	5	189
Tennessee	15	36
Illinois	30	13
Georgia	14	38
Wisconsin	12	10
Alabama	10	94
Iowa	8	43
Missouri	10	56
Mississippi	5	167
Minnesota	12	18
Arkansas	6	141
Florida	24	29
Louisiana	12	73
Kansas	5	85
South Dakota	6	274
Nebraska	6	77
Oklahoma	7	108
North Dakota	2	196
Texas	42	15
Colorado	12	24
New Mexico	5	63
Montana	3	127
Puerto Rico	5	229
Utah	5	42
Idaho	3	119
Arizona	4	30
Washington	12	12
Oregon	9	81
California	51	2
Hawaii	2	109