45 Best colleges for Theoretical Physics in New York State

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in New York State ranked based on their research performance in Theoretical Physics. A graph of 1.29M citations received by 31.5K academic papers made by 45 universities in New York State 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. Cornell University

Ithaca

For Theoretical Physics

#12 in the United States

#12 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,060

2. Stony Brook University

Stony Brook

For Theoretical Physics

#13 in the United States

#13 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1410
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 88%

3. New York University

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#19 in the United States

#20 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $29,499

4. Columbia University

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#21 in the United States

#22 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $22,058

5. Syracuse University

Syracuse

For Theoretical Physics

#38 in the United States

#44 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Average SAT: 1345
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $43,651

6. University of Rochester

Rochester

For Theoretical Physics

#43 in the United States

#49 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Average SAT: 1465
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $39,775

7. CUNY City College

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#57 in the United States

#64 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $9,822
Enrollment: 14,489

8. University at Buffalo

Buffalo

For Theoretical Physics

#74 in the United States

#83 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1285
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 86%

9. Rockefeller University

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#75 in the United States

#84 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 273
Male:Female: 54:46
Founded: 1901

10. Clarkson University

Potsdam

For Theoretical Physics

#93 in the United States

#108 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1280
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $32,450

11. CUNY Graduate School and University Center

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#96 in the United States

#112 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Enrollment: 8,733
Male:Female: 32:68
Founded: 1961

12. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy

For Theoretical Physics

#101 in the United States

#117 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $39,127

13. SUNY at Albany

Albany

For Theoretical Physics

#118 in the United States

#139 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1220
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 97%

14. Yeshiva University

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#119 in the United States

#141 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $35,912

15. CUNY Brooklyn College

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#137 in the United States

#163 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $9,411
Enrollment: 14,195

16. CUNY Hunter College

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#156 in the United States

#184 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $9,325
Enrollment: 22,970

17. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica

For Theoretical Physics

#157 in the United States

#185 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $9,497
Enrollment: 2,842

18. College of Staten Island CUNY

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#176 in the United States

#208 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $8,061
Enrollment: 10,248

19. Lehman College, CUNY

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#182 in the United States

#214 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $10,412
Enrollment: 13,015

20. CUNY Queens College

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#188 in the United States

#221 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $7,927
Enrollment: 17,001

21. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester

For Theoretical Physics

#194 in the United States

#227 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1360
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $39,600

22. Vassar College

Poughkeepsie

For Theoretical Physics

#203 in the United States

#236 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1483
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $30,603

23. King's College

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#204 in the United States

#237 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1265
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $34,192

24. CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#208 in the United States

#241 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $9,423
Enrollment: 19,854

25. Hamilton College

Clinton

For Theoretical Physics

#211 in the United States

#244 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1480
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $24,503

26. Binghamton University

Vestal

For Theoretical Physics

#216 in the United States

#249 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 80%

27. Barnard College

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#219 in the United States

#252 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Average SAT: 1495
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $26,009

28. Fordham University

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#242 in the United States

#276 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 1400
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $43,943

29. Saint John Fisher College

Rochester

For Theoretical Physics

#252 in the United States

#286 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1175
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $28,312

30. Long Island University

Brookville

For Theoretical Physics

#254 in the United States

#288 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1215
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $25,802

31. Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#261 in the United States

#296 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $34,758
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $6,444

32. Colgate University

Hamilton

For Theoretical Physics

#273 in the United States

#309 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $27,074

33. CUNY New York City College of Technology

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#274 in the United States

#310 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $8,797
Enrollment: 13,087

34. Hobart William Smith Colleges

Geneva

For Theoretical Physics

#317 in the United States

#356 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1305
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $34,259

35. Adelphi University

Garden City

For Theoretical Physics

#324 in the United States

#365 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $26,953

36. Union College

Schenectady

For Theoretical Physics

#328 in the United States

#370 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Average SAT: 1400
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $41,136

37. Hofstra University

Hempstead

For Theoretical Physics

#329 in the United States

#371 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average SAT: 1280
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $35,036

38. St John's University - New York

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#336 in the United States

#379 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $26,052

39. New School

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#343 in the United States

#386 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Net Price: $55,480
Receiving Aid: 92%
Average Aid: $21,504

40. SUNY Buffalo State

Buffalo

For Theoretical Physics

#344 in the United States

#387 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1059
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $10,756

41. SUNY at Fredonia

Fredonia

For Theoretical Physics

#348 in the United States

#391 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1190
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 98%

42. State University of New York at New Paltz

New Paltz

For Theoretical Physics

#350 in the United States

#393 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1250
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 99%

43. Bard College

Annandale-On-Hudson

For Theoretical Physics

#363 in the United States

#408 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Net Price: $25,214
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $53,584

44. Manhattan College

New York City

For Theoretical Physics

#364 in the United States

#410 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $29,535

45. Canisius College

Buffalo

For Theoretical Physics

#371 in the United States

#417 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $19,635

Closest to New York states to learn Theoretical Physics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Connecticut	7	23
Massachusetts	19	2
Pennsylvania	17	15
Rhode Island	3	31
New Jersey	6	1
Maryland	7	9
District of Columbia	5	123
Maine	3	212
Ohio	16	27
Virginia	11	63
Michigan	9	16
North Carolina	11	48
Indiana	10	45
Kentucky	4	86
South Carolina	3	77
Wisconsin	5	26
Illinois	16	8
Tennessee	6	56
Georgia	8	42
Iowa	4	62
Alabama	6	110
Minnesota	4	22
Missouri	7	41
Mississippi	3	121
Florida	12	29
Kansas	3	94
Louisiana	8	58
North Dakota	2	147
Nebraska	4	131
Oklahoma	3	79
Texas	21	10
Colorado	7	34
New Mexico	3	64
Utah	4	55
Arizona	3	33
Washington	5	18
Oregon	5	59
California	38	3