38 Best colleges for Theoretical Physics in California, US

Updated: February 29, 2024

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 2.42M citations received by 48K academic papers made by 38 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

#3 in the United States

#3 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,279

2. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Theoretical Physics

#5 in the United States

#5 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Receiving Aid: 59%
Average Aid: $20,389
Enrollment: 26,420

3. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Theoretical Physics

#6 in the United States

#6 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $21,669
Enrollment: 45,307

4. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Theoretical Physics

#7 in the United States

#7 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Net Price: $20,755
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $59,192

5. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#20 in the United States

#21 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 57%
Average Aid: $21,766
Enrollment: 46,430

6. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Theoretical Physics

#24 in the United States

#27 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $20,782
Enrollment: 42,006

7. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Theoretical Physics

#30 in the United States

#34 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $20,548
Enrollment: 39,679

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#35 in the United States

#39 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $36,808

9. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Theoretical Physics

#36 in the United States

#41 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $17,411
Enrollment: 35,937

10. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Theoretical Physics

#44 in the United States

#50 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Receiving Aid: 74%
Average Aid: $21,202
Enrollment: 19,478

11. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Theoretical Physics

#67 in the United States

#75 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $22,042
Enrollment: 26,809

12. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Theoretical Physics

#122 in the United States

#144 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 78%
Average Aid: $9,830
Enrollment: 25,282

13. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Theoretical Physics

#168 in the United States

#199 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $9,968
Enrollment: 23,999

14. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#171 in the United States

#202 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $10,511
Enrollment: 37,579

15. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Theoretical Physics

#177 in the United States

#209 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $9,478
Enrollment: 38,973

16. Chapman University

Orange

For Theoretical Physics

#192 in the United States

#225 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1300
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $45,033

17. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Theoretical Physics

#201 in the United States

#234 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $9,934
Enrollment: 37,402

18. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Theoretical Physics

#206 in the United States

#239 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 3,140
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1864

19. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Theoretical Physics

#210 in the United States

#243 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 2,670
Male:Female: 78:22
Founded: 1909

20. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Theoretical Physics

#213 in the United States

#246 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Receiving Aid: 65%
Average Aid: $9,210
Enrollment: 35,751

21. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Theoretical Physics

#224 in the United States

#257 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $9,194
Enrollment: 40,386

22. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Theoretical Physics

#225 in the United States

#258 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Receiving Aid: 57%
Average Aid: $10,065
Enrollment: 22,000

23. Harvey Mudd College

Claremont

For Theoretical Physics

#230 in the United States

#263 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $39,850

24. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Theoretical Physics

#244 in the United States

#278 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Receiving Aid: 77%
Average Aid: $9,040
Enrollment: 27,503

25. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#248 in the United States

#282 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Receiving Aid: 92%
Average Aid: $10,907
Enrollment: 26,460

26. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Theoretical Physics

#256 in the United States

#290 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $25,868
Enrollment: 9,103

27. Claremont McKenna College

Claremont

For Theoretical Physics

#265 in the United States

#300 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1495
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $28,701

28. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Theoretical Physics

#266 in the United States

#302 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1272
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $28,164

29. Pomona College

Claremont

For Theoretical Physics

#268 in the United States

#304 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $19,962

30. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Theoretical Physics

#271 in the United States

#307 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Average SAT: 1385
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $50,551

31. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#290 in the United States

#329 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Average SAT: 1380
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $52,815

32. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson

For Theoretical Physics

#303 in the United States

#342 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $9,819
Enrollment: 16,426

33. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Theoretical Physics

#305 in the United States

#344 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Receiving Aid: 76%
Average Aid: $9,262
Enrollment: 6,025

34. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Theoretical Physics

#318 in the United States

#358 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $9,590
Enrollment: 31,818

35. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Theoretical Physics

#320 in the United States

#361 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $42,953

36. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Theoretical Physics

#330 in the United States

#372 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 72%
Average Aid: $9,162
Enrollment: 14,183

37. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Theoretical Physics

#353 in the United States

#398 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Net Price: $36,008
Receiving Aid: 84%
Average Aid: $36,408

38. California State University - East Bay

Hayward

For Theoretical Physics

#370 in the United States

#416 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $8,659
Enrollment: 13,673

Closest to California states to learn Theoretical Physics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	5	59
Utah	4	55
Arizona	3	33
Washington	5	18
Colorado	7	34
New Mexico	3	64
Nebraska	4	131
Kansas	3	94
Texas	21	10
Oklahoma	3	79
North Dakota	2	147
Minnesota	4	22
Iowa	4	62
Missouri	7	41
Louisiana	8	58
Wisconsin	5	26
Illinois	16	8
Mississippi	3	121
Indiana	10	45
Michigan	9	16
Tennessee	6	56
Alabama	6	110
Kentucky	4	86
Ohio	16	27
Georgia	8	42
South Carolina	3	77
North Carolina	11	48
Virginia	11	63
Pennsylvania	17	15
Florida	12	29
District of Columbia	5	123
Maryland	7	9
New York	45	12
New Jersey	6	1
Connecticut	7	23
Massachusetts	19	2
Rhode Island	3	31
Maine	3	212