39 Best colleges for Theoretical Physics in California, US

Updated: March 15, 2026

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 3.56M citations received by 57K 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: $25,078

2. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Theoretical Physics

#5 in the United States

#5 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Net Price: $14,513
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $72,373

3. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Theoretical Physics

#6 in the United States

#6 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $29,608
Enrollment: 45,882

4. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Theoretical Physics

#7 in the United States

#7 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $24,695
Enrollment: 26,133

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: 59%
Average Aid: $25,627
Enrollment: 47,335

6. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Theoretical Physics

#24 in the United States

#27 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Receiving Aid: 66%
Average Aid: $25,757
Enrollment: 44,256

7. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Theoretical Physics

#29 in the United States

#33 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Receiving Aid: 65%
Average Aid: $24,591
Enrollment: 40,065

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#35 in the United States

#39 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $43,412

9. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Theoretical Physics

#37 in the United States

#42 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $23,110
Enrollment: 37,297

10. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Theoretical Physics

#40 in the United States

#46 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Receiving Aid: 64%
Average Aid: $22,774
Enrollment: 19,938

11. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Theoretical Physics

#63 in the United States

#71 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $24,355
Enrollment: 26,384

12. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Theoretical Physics

#109 in the United States

#128 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Receiving Aid: 81%
Average Aid: $12,996
Enrollment: 22,563

13. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#166 in the United States

#197 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $12,825
Enrollment: 38,313

14. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Theoretical Physics

#181 in the United States

#213 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 88%
Average Aid: $12,326
Enrollment: 24,427

15. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Theoretical Physics

#187 in the United States

#220 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $11,795
Enrollment: 42,003

16. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Theoretical Physics

#189 in the United States

#222 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Receiving Aid: 62%
Average Aid: $12,053
Enrollment: 41,137

17. Chapman University

Orange

For Theoretical Physics

#190 in the United States

#223 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 1350
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $47,902

18. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Theoretical Physics

#193 in the United States

#226 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 3,007
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1864

19. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Theoretical Physics

#208 in the United States

#241 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Receiving Aid: 69%
Average Aid: $12,353
Enrollment: 37,661

20. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Theoretical Physics

#213 in the United States

#246 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1420
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $53,883

21. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Theoretical Physics

#218 in the United States

#251 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 2,441
Male:Female: 79:21
Founded: 1909

22. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Theoretical Physics

#221 in the United States

#255 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 83%
Average Aid: $11,234
Enrollment: 43,662

23. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Theoretical Physics

#234 in the United States

#268 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $27,292
Enrollment: 9,110

24. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Theoretical Physics

#235 in the United States

#269 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Receiving Aid: 62%
Average Aid: $14,338
Enrollment: 23,069

25. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Theoretical Physics

#250 in the United States

#285 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1332
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $31,670

26. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Theoretical Physics

#252 in the United States

#287 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $11,833
Enrollment: 27,636

27. Harvey Mudd College

Claremont

For Theoretical Physics

#256 in the United States

#291 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $43,966

28. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#265 in the United States

#301 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $13,824
Enrollment: 23,163

29. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Theoretical Physics

#268 in the United States

#304 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Receiving Aid: 74%
Average Aid: $10,748
Enrollment: 6,237

30. Claremont McKenna College

Claremont

For Theoretical Physics

#270 in the United States

#306 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1515
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $33,895

31. Pomona College

Claremont

For Theoretical Physics

#289 in the United States

#327 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $19,938

32. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#290 in the United States

#328 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1345
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $59,926

33. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Theoretical Physics

#299 in the United States

#338 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $45,443

34. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson

For Theoretical Physics

#337 in the United States

#379 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $13,951
Enrollment: 15,182

35. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Theoretical Physics

#348 in the United States

#390 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $12,767
Enrollment: 31,943

36. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Theoretical Physics

#358 in the United States

#400 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 75%
Average Aid: $11,509
Enrollment: 15,257

37. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Theoretical Physics

#381 in the United States

#427 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Net Price: $37,918
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $40,965

38. Occidental College

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#394 in the United States

#441 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1450
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $48,400

39. Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park

For Theoretical Physics

#399 in the United States

#448 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $9,094
Enrollment: 5,891

Closest to California states to learn Theoretical Physics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	5	68
Utah	4	55
Arizona	3	30
Idaho	3	163
Washington	8	20
Colorado	7	34
New Mexico	3	70
Nebraska	4	127
Kansas	3	91
Texas	24	11
Oklahoma	3	74
North Dakota	2	147
Minnesota	5	21
Iowa	5	67
Missouri	8	42
Louisiana	8	56
Wisconsin	6	26
Illinois	16	8
Mississippi	4	122
Indiana	11	38
Michigan	9	15
Tennessee	5	52
Alabama	6	115
Kentucky	4	90
Ohio	18	28
Georgia	8	43
South Carolina	3	86
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	145
Connecticut	7	23
Massachusetts	20	2
New Hampshire	3	78
Rhode Island	3	32
Maine	3	215