100 Best colleges for Theoretical Physics in the United States
Updated:
Below is a list of best universities in the United States ranked based on their research performance in Theoretical Physics. A graph of 17.7M citations received by 351K academic papers made by 403 universities in the United States 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
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $19,811
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $21,519
3. Harvard University
- Acceptance Rate
- 3%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $17,900
4. Stanford University
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $17,998
5. University of California - Santa Barbara
- Acceptance Rate
- 28%
- Receiving Aid
- 58%
- Average Aid
- $21,732
- Enrollment
- 26,068
6. California Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 3%
- Net Price
- $23,397
- Receiving Aid
- 68%
- Average Aid
- $60,201
7. University of California - Berkeley
- Acceptance Rate
- 12%
- Receiving Aid
- 61%
- Average Aid
- $25,951
- Enrollment
- 45,699
8. University of Chicago
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $27,979
9. University of Maryland - College Park
- Acceptance Rate
- 45%
- Average SAT
- 1445
- Average ACT
- 34
- Receiving Aid
- 65%
10. Rutgers University - New Brunswick
- Acceptance Rate
- 65%
- Average SAT
- 1375
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 71%
11. University of Texas at Austin
- Acceptance Rate
- 29%
- Average SAT
- 1360
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 69%
12. Cornell University
- Acceptance Rate
- 8%
- Average SAT
- 1520
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $26,455
13. University of Pennsylvania
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $26,017
14. Stony Brook University
- Acceptance Rate
- 49%
- Average SAT
- 1405
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 89%
15. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
- Acceptance Rate
- 18%
- Average SAT
- 1440
- Average ACT
- 33
- Receiving Aid
- 66%
16. Pennsylvania State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 54%
- Average SAT
- 1310
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 66%
17. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
- Acceptance Rate
- 44%
- Average SAT
- 1390
- Average ACT
- 32
- Receiving Aid
- 61%
18. Columbia University
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1530
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $20,869
19. New York University
- Acceptance Rate
- 9%
- Average SAT
- 1525
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $30,730
20. University of Washington - Seattle
- Acceptance Rate
- 43%
- Receiving Aid
- 55%
- Average Aid
- $14,390
- Enrollment
- 55,620
21. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
- Acceptance Rate
- 77%
- Average SAT
- 1395
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 81%
22. University of California - Los Angeles
- Acceptance Rate
- 9%
- Receiving Aid
- 60%
- Average Aid
- $22,441
- Enrollment
- 46,678
23. Yale University
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $26,044
24. University of California-San Diego
- Acceptance Rate
- 25%
- Receiving Aid
- 70%
- Average Aid
- $24,176
- Enrollment
- 42,376
25. Texas A&M University - College Station
- Acceptance Rate
- 63%
- Average SAT
- 1260
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 77%
26. University of Wisconsin - Madison
- Acceptance Rate
- 43%
- Average SAT
- 1435
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 60%
27. University of Florida
- Acceptance Rate
- 24%
- Average SAT
- 1390
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 92%
28. Ohio State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 51%
- Average SAT
- 1405
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 75%
29. University of California - Davis
- Acceptance Rate
- 42%
- Receiving Aid
- 58%
- Average Aid
- $21,258
- Enrollment
- 39,707
30. University of Arizona
- Acceptance Rate
- 86%
- Average SAT
- 1290
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 98%
31. Boston University
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Average SAT
- 1460
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $27,551
32. Brown University
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $26,608
33. Carnegie Mellon University
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $32,964
34. University of Colorado Boulder
- Acceptance Rate
- 83%
- Average SAT
- 1325
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 66%
35. University of Southern California
- Acceptance Rate
- 10%
- Average SAT
- 1495
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $41,496
36. Johns Hopkins University
- Acceptance Rate
- 8%
- Average SAT
- 1555
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $22,844
37. University of California - Irvine
- Acceptance Rate
- 26%
- Receiving Aid
- 71%
- Average Aid
- $21,533
- Enrollment
- 36,582
38. Syracuse University
- Acceptance Rate
- 42%
- Average SAT
- 1345
- Average ACT
- 30
- Net Price
- $51,520
39. Purdue University
- Acceptance Rate
- 50%
- Average SAT
- 1325
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 60%
40. University of California - Santa Cruz
- Acceptance Rate
- 63%
- Receiving Aid
- 71%
- Average Aid
- $21,564
- Enrollment
- 19,764
41. University of Pittsburgh
- Acceptance Rate
- 50%
- Average SAT
- 1360
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 87%
42. Washington University in St Louis
- Acceptance Rate
- 12%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $22,440
43. University of Rochester
- Acceptance Rate
- 36%
- Average SAT
- 1470
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $40,900
44. Georgia Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 16%
- Average SAT
- 1430
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 73%
45. Duke University
- Acceptance Rate
- 7%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $23,422
46. Michigan State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 84%
- Average SAT
- 1250
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
47. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Acceptance Rate
- 19%
- Average SAT
- 1450
- Average ACT
- 32
- Receiving Aid
- 58%
48. Brandeis University
- Acceptance Rate
- 35%
- Average SAT
- 1460
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $44,668
49. Northwestern University
- Acceptance Rate
- 7%
- Average SAT
- 1525
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $23,341
50. University of Massachusetts - Amherst
- Acceptance Rate
- 58%
- Average SAT
- 1390
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 87%
51. Northeastern University
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1505
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $34,770
52. University of Tennessee - Knoxville
- Acceptance Rate
- 46%
- Average SAT
- 1265
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 90%
53. Florida State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 25%
- Average SAT
- 1315
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 95%
54. University of Utah
- Acceptance Rate
- 87%
- Average SAT
- 1289
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 79%
55. Tufts University
- Acceptance Rate
- 10%
- Average SAT
- 1505
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $33,333
56. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
- Acceptance Rate
- 74%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 93%
57. CUNY City College
- Acceptance Rate
- 58%
- Average SAT
- 1340
- Receiving Aid
- 91%
- Average Aid
- $9,236
58. University of Notre Dame
- Acceptance Rate
- 12%
- Average SAT
- 1490
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $29,083
59. Tulane University of Louisiana
- Acceptance Rate
- 15%
- Average SAT
- 1450
- Average ACT
- 32
- Net Price
- $50,631
60. University of Virginia
- Acceptance Rate
- 17%
- Average SAT
- 1470
- Average ACT
- 33
- Receiving Aid
- 44%
61. University of California - Riverside
- Acceptance Rate
- 63%
- Receiving Aid
- 75%
- Average Aid
- $21,566
- Enrollment
- 26,426
62. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 57%
- Average SAT
- 1330
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 69%
63. University of Delaware
- Acceptance Rate
- 65%
- Average SAT
- 1280
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 92%
64. University of Illinois at Chicago
- Acceptance Rate
- 79%
- Average SAT
- 1230
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 80%
65. North Carolina State University at Raleigh
- Acceptance Rate
- 40%
- Average SAT
- 1380
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 68%
66. Arizona State University - Tempe
- Acceptance Rate
- 90%
- Receiving Aid
- 93%
- Average Aid
- $11,992
- Enrollment
- 79,593
67. University of Oregon
- Acceptance Rate
- 85%
- Average SAT
- 1245
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 90%
68. Iowa State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 89%
- Average SAT
- 1230
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 89%
69. Temple University
- Acceptance Rate
- 83%
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
- Average Aid
- $11,891
- Enrollment
- 30,205
70. University of New Mexico
- Acceptance Rate
- 95%
- Average SAT
- 1030
- Average ACT
- 23
- Receiving Aid
- 100%
71. University of Connecticut
- Acceptance Rate
- 54%
- Average SAT
- 1315
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 83%
72. Case Western Reserve University
- Acceptance Rate
- 29%
- Average SAT
- 1485
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $41,351
73. University of Oklahoma - Norman
- Acceptance Rate
- 77%
- Average SAT
- 1235
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 99%
74. University of Missouri - Columbia
- Acceptance Rate
- 77%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 90%
75. University at Buffalo
- Acceptance Rate
- 69%
- Average SAT
- 1295
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 86%
76. Rice University
- Acceptance Rate
- 8%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $20,587
77. University of Miami
- Acceptance Rate
- 19%
- Average SAT
- 1400
- Average ACT
- 32
- Net Price
- $41,028
78. Rockefeller University
- Acceptance Rate
- 12%
- Enrollment
- 286
- Male:Female
- 51:49
- Founded
- 1901
79. Dartmouth College
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $17,322
80. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
- Acceptance Rate
- 88%
- Average ACT
- 21
- Receiving Aid
- 89%
- Average Aid
- $5,305
81. University of Cincinnati
- Acceptance Rate
- 88%
- Average SAT
- 1255
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 87%
82. Vanderbilt University
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $26,689
83. University of Georgia
- Acceptance Rate
- 37%
- Average SAT
- 1275
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 84%
84. College of William and Mary
- Acceptance Rate
- 33%
- Average SAT
- 1438
- Average ACT
- 33
- Receiving Aid
- 54%
85. University of South Carolina - Columbia
- Acceptance Rate
- 61%
- Average SAT
- 1280
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 95%
86. University of Iowa
- Acceptance Rate
- 85%
- Average SAT
- 1225
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 88%
87. University of South Florida
- Acceptance Rate
- 41%
- Average SAT
- 1235
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 88%
88. University of Houston
- Acceptance Rate
- 70%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 83%
89. University of Kentucky
- Acceptance Rate
- 92%
- Average SAT
- 1185
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
90. Kansas State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 79%
- Average SAT
- 1150
- Average ACT
- 24
- Receiving Aid
- 95%
91. University of Central Florida
- Acceptance Rate
- 40%
- Average SAT
- 1270
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 91%
92. Saint Xavier University
- Acceptance Rate
- 86%
- Net Price
- $11,943
- Receiving Aid
- 100%
- Average Aid
- $30,290
93. CUNY Graduate School and University Center
- Acceptance Rate
- 39%
- Enrollment
- 9,116
- Male:Female
- 33:67
- Founded
- 1961
94. Clarkson University
- Acceptance Rate
- 77%
- Average SAT
- 1294
- Average ACT
- 29
- Net Price
- $33,192
95. Oregon State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 79%
- Receiving Aid
- 92%
- Average Aid
- $9,922
- Enrollment
- 35,622
96. Wayne State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 82%
- Average SAT
- 1150
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
97. Oklahoma State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 71%
- Average SAT
- 1135
- Average ACT
- 24
- Receiving Aid
- 96%
98. Baylor University
- Acceptance Rate
- 51%
- Average SAT
- 1305
- Average ACT
- 30
- Net Price
- $49,727
99. Williams College
- Acceptance Rate
- 10%
- Average SAT
- 1515
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $16,988
100. Utah State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 94%
- Average SAT
- 1180
- Average ACT
- 24
- Receiving Aid
- 95%
The best cities to study Theoretical Physics in the United States based on the number of universities and their ranks are Princeton, Cambridge, Stanford, and Santa Barbara.