39 Best colleges for Theoretical 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 Theoretical Physics. A graph of 3.42M citations received by 56.2K academic papers made by 39 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. Stanford University

Stanford

For Theoretical Physics

#4 in the United States

#4 in North America

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

2. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Theoretical Physics

#5 in the United States

#5 in North America

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

3. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Theoretical Physics

#6 in the United States

#6 in North America

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

4. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Theoretical Physics

#7 in the United States

#7 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $25,951
Enrollment: 45,699

5. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#22 in the United States

#23 in North America

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

6. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Theoretical Physics

#24 in the United States

#27 in North America

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

7. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Theoretical Physics

#29 in the United States

#33 in North America

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

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#35 in the United States

#39 in North America

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

9. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Theoretical Physics

#37 in the United States

#42 in North America

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

10. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Theoretical Physics

#40 in the United States

#46 in North America

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

11. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Theoretical Physics

#61 in the United States

#69 in North America

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

12. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Theoretical Physics

#109 in the United States

#129 in North America

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

13. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#167 in the United States

#197 in North America

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

14. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Theoretical Physics

#183 in the United States

#216 in North America

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

15. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Theoretical Physics

#185 in the United States

#218 in North America

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

16. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Theoretical Physics

#187 in the United States

#220 in North America

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

17. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Theoretical Physics

#193 in the United States

#226 in North America

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

18. Chapman University

Orange

For Theoretical Physics

#195 in the United States

#228 in North America

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

19. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Theoretical Physics

#208 in the United States

#241 in North America

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

20. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Theoretical Physics

#213 in the United States

#246 in North America

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

21. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Theoretical Physics

#217 in the United States

#250 in North America

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

22. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Theoretical Physics

#222 in the United States

#256 in North America

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

23. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Theoretical Physics

#235 in the United States

#270 in North America

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

24. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Theoretical Physics

#242 in the United States

#277 in North America

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

25. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Theoretical Physics

#246 in the United States

#281 in North America

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

26. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Theoretical Physics

#251 in the United States

#286 in North America

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

27. Harvey Mudd College

Claremont

For Theoretical Physics

#254 in the United States

#289 in North America

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

28. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#264 in the United States

#300 in North America

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

29. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Theoretical Physics

#268 in the United States

#304 in North America

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

30. Claremont McKenna College

Claremont

For Theoretical Physics

#269 in the United States

#305 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1505
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $29,978

31. Pomona College

Claremont

For Theoretical Physics

#288 in the United States

#326 in North America

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

32. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#291 in the United States

#329 in North America

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

33. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Theoretical Physics

#300 in the United States

#339 in North America

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

34. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson

For Theoretical Physics

#335 in the United States

#377 in North America

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

35. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Theoretical Physics

#345 in the United States

#387 in North America

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

36. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Theoretical Physics

#356 in the United States

#398 in North America

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

37. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Theoretical Physics

#381 in the United States

#426 in North America

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

38. Occidental College

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#392 in the United States

#439 in North America

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

39. Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park

For Theoretical Physics

#398 in the United States

#447 in North America

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

Closest to California states to learn Theoretical Physics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	5	67
Utah	4	54
Arizona	3	30
Idaho	3	163
Washington	8	20
Colorado	7	34
New Mexico	3	70
Nebraska	4	127
Kansas	3	90
Texas	23	11
Oklahoma	3	73
North Dakota	2	147
Minnesota	5	21
Iowa	5	68
Missouri	8	42
Louisiana	8	56
Wisconsin	6	26
Illinois	16	8
Mississippi	4	125
Indiana	11	39
Michigan	9	15
Tennessee	5	52
Alabama	6	116
Kentucky	4	89
Ohio	18	28
Georgia	8	44
South Carolina	3	85
North Carolina	13	45
Virginia	12	60
Pennsylvania	19	13
Florida	13	27
District of Columbia	5	112
Maryland	9	9
New York	47	12
New Jersey	8	1
Vermont	3	148
Connecticut	7	23
Massachusetts	20	2
New Hampshire	3	79
Rhode Island	3	32
Maine	3	216