Best Universities for Theoretical Physics in North America
Updated:
Below is a list of best universities in North America ranked based on their research performance in Theoretical Physics. A graph of 20.1M citations received by 400K academic papers made by 453 universities in North America 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. Princeton University
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $15,313
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1550
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $20,996
3. Harvard University
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $17,525
4. Stanford University
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $25,078
5. California Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 3%
- Net Price
- $14,513
- Receiving Aid
- 70%
- Average Aid
- $72,373
6. University of California - Berkeley
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Receiving Aid
- 63%
- Average Aid
- $29,608
- Enrollment
- 45,882
7. University of California - Santa Barbara
- Acceptance Rate
- 33%
- Receiving Aid
- 61%
- Average Aid
- $24,695
- Enrollment
- 26,133
8. University of Chicago
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $28,060
9. University of Maryland - College Park
- Acceptance Rate
- 45%
- Average SAT
- 1465
- Average ACT
- 34
- Receiving Aid
- 67%
10. Rutgers University - New Brunswick
- Acceptance Rate
- 58%
- Average SAT
- 1405
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 69%
11. University of Texas at Austin
- Acceptance Rate
- 27%
- Average SAT
- 1380
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 65%
12. Cornell University
- Acceptance Rate
- 9%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $26,361
13. University of Pennsylvania
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $23,570
14. Stony Brook University
- Acceptance Rate
- 49%
- Average SAT
- 1415
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 99%
15. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
- Acceptance Rate
- 16%
- Average SAT
- 1445
- Average ACT
- 33
- Receiving Aid
- 69%
16. Pennsylvania State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 61%
- Average SAT
- 1330
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 67%
18. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
- Acceptance Rate
- 42%
- Average SAT
- 1415
- Average ACT
- 32
- Receiving Aid
- 64%
19. Columbia University
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $22,520
20. New York University
- Acceptance Rate
- 9%
- Average SAT
- 1520
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $30,325
21. University of Washington - Seattle
- Acceptance Rate
- 39%
- Receiving Aid
- 56%
- Average Aid
- $16,156
- Enrollment
- 56,997
22. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
- Acceptance Rate
- 80%
- Average SAT
- 1400
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 81%
23. University of California - Los Angeles
- Acceptance Rate
- 9%
- Receiving Aid
- 59%
- Average Aid
- $25,627
- Enrollment
- 47,335
24. Yale University
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1520
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $22,408
27. University of California-San Diego
- Acceptance Rate
- 27%
- Receiving Aid
- 66%
- Average Aid
- $25,757
- Enrollment
- 44,256
28. Texas A&M University - College Station
- Acceptance Rate
- 57%
- Average SAT
- 1275
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 74%
29. University of Wisconsin - Madison
- Acceptance Rate
- 45%
- Average SAT
- 1450
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 60%
30. University of Florida
- Acceptance Rate
- 24%
- Average SAT
- 1400
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
31. Ohio State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 61%
- Average SAT
- 1395
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 80%
33. University of California - Davis
- Acceptance Rate
- 42%
- Receiving Aid
- 65%
- Average Aid
- $24,591
- Enrollment
- 40,065
34. University of Arizona
- Acceptance Rate
- 86%
- Average SAT
- 1285
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 96%
35. Boston University
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Average SAT
- 1475
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $24,420
36. Brown University
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $26,256
37. Carnegie Mellon University
- Acceptance Rate
- 12%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $35,552
38. University of Colorado Boulder
- Acceptance Rate
- 78%
- Average SAT
- 1335
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 67%
39. University of Southern California
- Acceptance Rate
- 10%
- Average SAT
- 1500
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $43,412
41. Johns Hopkins University
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $26,017
42. University of California - Irvine
- Acceptance Rate
- 29%
- Receiving Aid
- 61%
- Average Aid
- $23,110
- Enrollment
- 37,297
44. Purdue University
- Acceptance Rate
- 50%
- Average SAT
- 1340
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 59%
45. Syracuse University
- Acceptance Rate
- 46%
- Average SAT
- 1355
- Average ACT
- 31
- Net Price
- $48,215
46. University of California - Santa Cruz
- Acceptance Rate
- 66%
- Receiving Aid
- 64%
- Average Aid
- $22,774
- Enrollment
- 19,938
47. University of Pittsburgh
- Acceptance Rate
- 58%
- Average SAT
- 1370
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 74%
48. Washington University in St Louis
- Acceptance Rate
- 12%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $22,408
49. Georgia Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 14%
- Average SAT
- 1455
- Average ACT
- 32
- Receiving Aid
- 73%
50. University of Rochester
- Acceptance Rate
- 40%
- Average SAT
- 1475
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $40,462
51. Duke University
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $21,981
52. Michigan State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 85%
- Average SAT
- 1270
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 92%
53. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Acceptance Rate
- 15%
- Average SAT
- 1460
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 59%
55. Brandeis University
- Acceptance Rate
- 40%
- Average SAT
- 1455
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $43,550
56. University of Massachusetts - Amherst
- Acceptance Rate
- 60%
- Average SAT
- 1405
- Average ACT
- 32
- Receiving Aid
- 89%
57. Northwestern University
- Acceptance Rate
- 8%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $26,830
58. Northeastern University
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1490
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $34,207
59. University of Tennessee - Knoxville
- Acceptance Rate
- 42%
- Average SAT
- 1285
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 96%
60. Florida State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 24%
- Average SAT
- 1340
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
61. Tufts University
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Average SAT
- 1515
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $32,367
62. University of Utah
- Acceptance Rate
- 86%
- Average SAT
- 1285
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 79%
63. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
- Acceptance Rate
- 73%
- Average SAT
- 1260
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 93%
64. University of Notre Dame
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Average SAT
- 1508
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $29,300
65. CUNY City College
- Acceptance Rate
- 60%
- Average SAT
- 1250
- Receiving Aid
- 90%
- Average Aid
- $9,763
66. Tulane University of Louisiana
- Acceptance Rate
- 14%
- Average SAT
- 1460
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $47,427
67. University of Virginia
- Acceptance Rate
- 17%
- Average SAT
- 1475
- Average ACT
- 34
- Receiving Aid
- 57%
69. University of Delaware
- Acceptance Rate
- 71%
- Average SAT
- 1280
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
70. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 55%
- Average SAT
- 1365
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 67%
71. University of California - Riverside
- Acceptance Rate
- 76%
- Receiving Aid
- 80%
- Average Aid
- $24,355
- Enrollment
- 26,384
72. Arizona State University - Tempe
- Acceptance Rate
- 90%
- Receiving Aid
- 93%
- Average Aid
- $12,172
- Enrollment
- 79,818
73. North Carolina State University at Raleigh
- Acceptance Rate
- 42%
- Average SAT
- 1385
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 69%
74. University of Illinois at Chicago
- Acceptance Rate
- 77%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 80%
75. Iowa State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 89%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 89%
76. University of Oregon
- Acceptance Rate
- 88%
- Average SAT
- 1245
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 90%
77. Temple University
- Acceptance Rate
- 80%
- Receiving Aid
- 93%
- Average Aid
- $14,837
- Enrollment
- 29,640
78. University of New Mexico
- Acceptance Rate
- 95%
- Average SAT
- 1030
- Average ACT
- 23
- Receiving Aid
- 100%
79. University of Connecticut
- Acceptance Rate
- 52%
- Average SAT
- 1325
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 88%
82. Case Western Reserve University
- Acceptance Rate
- 37%
- Average SAT
- 1485
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $44,000
83. University at Buffalo
- Acceptance Rate
- 74%
- Average SAT
- 1295
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 86%
84. University of Oklahoma - Norman
- Acceptance Rate
- 77%
- Average SAT
- 1235
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 99%
85. University of Missouri - Columbia
- Acceptance Rate
- 78%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
86. Rice University
- Acceptance Rate
- 8%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $23,589
88. University of Miami
- Acceptance Rate
- 19%
- Average SAT
- 1400
- Average ACT
- 32
- Net Price
- $45,397
89. Dartmouth College
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $20,322
91. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
- Acceptance Rate
- 91%
- Average ACT
- 22
- Receiving Aid
- 93%
- Average Aid
- $6,347
92. University of Cincinnati
- Acceptance Rate
- 85%
- Average SAT
- 1265
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 88%
93. Rockefeller University
- Acceptance Rate
- 12%
- Enrollment
- 281
- Male:Female
- 47:53
- Founded
- 1901
94. Vanderbilt University
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $25,186
95. University of South Florida
- Acceptance Rate
- 43%
- Average SAT
- 1225
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 89%
96. College of William and Mary
- Acceptance Rate
- 34%
- Average SAT
- 1465
- Average ACT
- 33
- Receiving Aid
- 55%
97. University of Georgia
- Acceptance Rate
- 38%
- Average SAT
- 1375
- Average ACT
- 32
- Receiving Aid
- 89%
99. University of South Carolina - Columbia
- Acceptance Rate
- 60%
- Average SAT
- 1270
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
100. University of Iowa
- Acceptance Rate
- 84%
- Average SAT
- 1230
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 90%