100 Best colleges for Theoretical Physics in the United States

Updated:

EduRank

Below is a list of best universities in the United States ranked based on their research performance in Theoretical Physics. A graph of 11.6M citations received by 296K academic papers made by 373 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

For Theoretical Physics

#1 in the World
Acceptance Rate
6%
Average SAT
1535
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$18,698

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

For Theoretical Physics

#2 in the World
Acceptance Rate
4%
Average SAT
1555
Average ACT
36
Net Price
$20,232

3. Stanford University

For Theoretical Physics

#4 in the World
Acceptance Rate
4%
Average SAT
1540
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$18,279

4. Harvard University

For Theoretical Physics

#5 in the World
Acceptance Rate
3%
Average SAT
1535
Average ACT
35
Net Price
$19,491

5. University of California - Santa Barbara

For Theoretical Physics

#6 in the World
Acceptance Rate
26%
Receiving Aid
59%
Average Aid
$20,389
Enrollment
26,420

6. University of California - Berkeley

For Theoretical Physics

#8 in the World
Acceptance Rate
11%
Receiving Aid
60%
Average Aid
$21,669
Enrollment
45,307

7. California Institute of Technology

For Theoretical Physics

#9 in the World
Acceptance Rate
3%
Net Price
$20,755
Receiving Aid
71%
Average Aid
$59,192

8. University of Chicago

For Theoretical Physics

#12 in the World
Acceptance Rate
5%
Average SAT
1540
Average ACT
35
Net Price
$36,991

9. University of Maryland - College Park

For Theoretical Physics

#13 in the World
Acceptance Rate
45%
Average SAT
1440
Average ACT
32
Receiving Aid
63%

10. University of Texas at Austin

For Theoretical Physics

#15 in the World
Acceptance Rate
31%
Average SAT
1365
Average ACT
30
Receiving Aid
89%

11. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

For Theoretical Physics

#16 in the World
Acceptance Rate
66%
Average SAT
1375
Average ACT
31
Receiving Aid
70%

12. Cornell University

For Theoretical Physics

#18 in the World
Acceptance Rate
7%
Average SAT
1520
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$26,060

13. Stony Brook University

For Theoretical Physics

#19 in the World
Acceptance Rate
49%
Average SAT
1410
Average ACT
31
Receiving Aid
88%

14. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

For Theoretical Physics

#20 in the World
Acceptance Rate
45%
Average SAT
1415
Average ACT
32
Receiving Aid
64%

15. University of Pennsylvania

For Theoretical Physics

#21 in the World
Acceptance Rate
7%
Average SAT
1535
Average ACT
35
Net Price
$26,123

16. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

For Theoretical Physics

#24 in the World
Acceptance Rate
18%
Average SAT
1440
Average ACT
33
Receiving Aid
74%

17. Pennsylvania State University

For Theoretical Physics

#25 in the World
Acceptance Rate
55%
Average SAT
1300
Average ACT
29
Receiving Aid
68%

18. University of Washington - Seattle

For Theoretical Physics

#27 in the World
Acceptance Rate
48%
Receiving Aid
58%
Average Aid
$14,731
Enrollment
52,319

19. New York University

For Theoretical Physics

#28 in the World
Acceptance Rate
12%
Average SAT
1520
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$29,499

20. University of California - Los Angeles

For Theoretical Physics

#30 in the World
Acceptance Rate
9%
Receiving Aid
57%
Average Aid
$21,766
Enrollment
46,430

21. Columbia University

For Theoretical Physics

#31 in the World
Acceptance Rate
4%
Average SAT
1535
Average ACT
35
Net Price
$22,058

22. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

For Theoretical Physics

#33 in the World
Acceptance Rate
75%
Average SAT
1395
Average ACT
30
Receiving Aid
82%

23. Yale University

For Theoretical Physics

#35 in the World
Acceptance Rate
5%
Average SAT
1540
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$18,647

24. University of California-San Diego

For Theoretical Physics

#44 in the World
Acceptance Rate
24%
Receiving Aid
61%
Average Aid
$20,782
Enrollment
42,006

25. Texas A&M University - College Station

For Theoretical Physics

#50 in the World
Acceptance Rate
63%
Average SAT
1270
Average ACT
28
Receiving Aid
74%

26. University of Wisconsin - Madison

For Theoretical Physics

#51 in the World
Acceptance Rate
49%
Average SAT
1425
Average ACT
29
Receiving Aid
58%

27. Ohio State University

For Theoretical Physics

#52 in the World
Acceptance Rate
53%
Average SAT
1395
Average ACT
31
Receiving Aid
83%

28. Boston University

For Theoretical Physics

#55 in the World
Acceptance Rate
14%
Average SAT
1425
Average ACT
33
Net Price
$27,829

29. University of Florida

For Theoretical Physics

#66 in the World
Acceptance Rate
23%
Average SAT
1395
Average ACT
31
Receiving Aid
94%

30. University of California - Davis

For Theoretical Physics

#69 in the World
Acceptance Rate
37%
Receiving Aid
63%
Average Aid
$20,548
Enrollment
39,679

31. Brown University

For Theoretical Physics

#73 in the World
Acceptance Rate
5%
Average SAT
1535
Average ACT
35
Net Price
$26,723

32. Providence College

For Theoretical Physics

#77 in the World
Acceptance Rate
53%
Average SAT
1340
Average ACT
30
Net Price
$43,970

33. University of Arizona

For Theoretical Physics

#79 in the World
Acceptance Rate
87%
Average SAT
1255
Average ACT
25
Receiving Aid
98%

34. University of Colorado Boulder

For Theoretical Physics

#80 in the World
Acceptance Rate
81%
Average SAT
1275
Average ACT
29
Receiving Aid
68%

35. University of Southern California

For Theoretical Physics

#84 in the World
Acceptance Rate
12%
Average SAT
1500
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$36,808

36. University of California - Irvine

For Theoretical Physics

#87 in the World
Acceptance Rate
21%
Receiving Aid
80%
Average Aid
$17,411
Enrollment
35,937

37. Johns Hopkins University

For Theoretical Physics

#92 in the World
Acceptance Rate
7%
Average SAT
1545
Average ACT
35
Net Price
$24,034

38. Syracuse University

For Theoretical Physics

#93 in the World
Acceptance Rate
52%
Average SAT
1345
Average ACT
30
Net Price
$43,651

39. Carnegie Mellon University

For Theoretical Physics

#97 in the World
Acceptance Rate
11%
Average SAT
1530
Average ACT
35
Net Price
$33,499

40. University of Pittsburgh

For Theoretical Physics

#105 in the World
Acceptance Rate
49%
Average SAT
1375
Average ACT
31
Receiving Aid
87%

41. Washington University in St Louis

For Theoretical Physics

#112 in the World
Acceptance Rate
12%
Average SAT
1535
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$23,432

42. Georgia Institute of Technology

For Theoretical Physics

#121 in the World
Acceptance Rate
17%
Average SAT
1460
Average ACT
33
Receiving Aid
73%

43. University of Rochester

For Theoretical Physics

#124 in the World
Acceptance Rate
39%
Average SAT
1465
Average ACT
33
Net Price
$39,775

44. University of California - Santa Cruz

For Theoretical Physics

#126 in the World
Acceptance Rate
47%
Receiving Aid
74%
Average Aid
$21,202
Enrollment
19,478

45. Purdue University

For Theoretical Physics

#130 in the World
Acceptance Rate
53%
Average SAT
1335
Average ACT
31
Receiving Aid
60%

46. Brandeis University

For Theoretical Physics

#134 in the World
Acceptance Rate
39%
Average SAT
1450
Average ACT
33
Net Price
$45,565

47. Michigan State University

For Theoretical Physics

#135 in the World
Acceptance Rate
88%
Average SAT
1260
Average ACT
28
Receiving Aid
94%

48. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

For Theoretical Physics

#140 in the World
Acceptance Rate
17%
Average SAT
1440
Average ACT
32
Receiving Aid
59%

49. Duke University

For Theoretical Physics

#144 in the World
Acceptance Rate
6%
Average SAT
1530
Average ACT
35
Net Price
$23,694

50. Northeastern University

For Theoretical Physics

#148 in the World
Acceptance Rate
7%
Average SAT
1495
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$35,827

51. Northwestern University

For Theoretical Physics

#149 in the World
Acceptance Rate
7%
Average SAT
1530
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$22,095

52. Tufts University

For Theoretical Physics

#151 in the World
Acceptance Rate
10%
Average SAT
1500
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$30,479

53. Florida State University

For Theoretical Physics

#152 in the World
Acceptance Rate
25%
Average SAT
1290
Average ACT
29
Receiving Aid
93%

54. University of Massachusetts - Amherst

For Theoretical Physics

#153 in the World
Acceptance Rate
64%
Average SAT
1370
Average ACT
31
Receiving Aid
91%

55. University of Utah

For Theoretical Physics

#168 in the World
Acceptance Rate
89%
Average SAT
1290
Average ACT
26
Receiving Aid
99%

56. University of Tennessee - Knoxville

For Theoretical Physics

#180 in the World
Acceptance Rate
68%
Average SAT
1250
Average ACT
28
Receiving Aid
91%

57. CUNY City College

For Theoretical Physics

#184 in the World
Acceptance Rate
67%
Receiving Aid
100%
Average Aid
$9,822
Enrollment
14,489

58. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

For Theoretical Physics

#186 in the World
Acceptance Rate
76%
Average SAT
1230
Average ACT
26
Receiving Aid
98%

59. University of Oregon

For Theoretical Physics

#195 in the World
Acceptance Rate
86%
Average SAT
1255
Average ACT
27
Receiving Aid
90%

60. University of Notre Dame

For Theoretical Physics

#199 in the World
Acceptance Rate
13%
Average SAT
1500
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$28,474

61. Tulane University of Louisiana

For Theoretical Physics

#207 in the World
Acceptance Rate
11%
Average SAT
1440
Average ACT
32
Net Price
$50,263

62. Iowa State University

For Theoretical Physics

#211 in the World
Acceptance Rate
90%
Average SAT
1220
Average ACT
25
Receiving Aid
89%

63. University of Virginia

For Theoretical Physics

#218 in the World
Acceptance Rate
19%
Average SAT
1470
Average ACT
33
Receiving Aid
54%

64. University of New Mexico

For Theoretical Physics

#221 in the World
Acceptance Rate
96%
Average ACT
22
Receiving Aid
97%
Average Aid
$9,280

65. Arizona State University - Tempe

For Theoretical Physics

#224 in the World
Acceptance Rate
90%
Receiving Aid
93%
Average Aid
$12,381
Enrollment
80,065

66. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

For Theoretical Physics

#229 in the World
Acceptance Rate
47%
Average SAT
1370
Average ACT
31
Receiving Aid
80%

67. University of California - Riverside

For Theoretical Physics

#230 in the World
Acceptance Rate
69%
Receiving Aid
79%
Average Aid
$22,042
Enrollment
26,809

68. University of Connecticut

For Theoretical Physics

#231 in the World
Acceptance Rate
55%
Average SAT
1330
Average ACT
31
Receiving Aid
89%

69. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

For Theoretical Physics

#232 in the World
Acceptance Rate
57%
Average SAT
1335
Average ACT
30
Receiving Aid
71%

70. University of Delaware

For Theoretical Physics

#234 in the World
Acceptance Rate
74%
Average SAT
1275
Average ACT
29
Receiving Aid
93%

71. University of Illinois at Chicago

For Theoretical Physics

#239 in the World
Acceptance Rate
79%
Average SAT
1225
Average ACT
27
Receiving Aid
81%

72. Case Western Reserve University

For Theoretical Physics

#257 in the World
Acceptance Rate
27%
Average SAT
1475
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$38,279

73. University of Missouri - Columbia

For Theoretical Physics

#264 in the World
Acceptance Rate
79%
Average SAT
1240
Average ACT
27
Receiving Aid
91%

74. University at Buffalo

For Theoretical Physics

#268 in the World
Acceptance Rate
68%
Average SAT
1285
Average ACT
29
Receiving Aid
86%

75. Rockefeller University

For Theoretical Physics

#269 in the World
Acceptance Rate
12%
Enrollment
273
Male:Female
54:46
Founded
1901

76. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

For Theoretical Physics

#287 in the World
Acceptance Rate
86%
Average ACT
21
Receiving Aid
85%
Average Aid
$5,963

77. University of South Carolina - Columbia

For Theoretical Physics

#290 in the World
Acceptance Rate
64%
Average SAT
1280
Average ACT
30
Receiving Aid
98%

78. Rice University

For Theoretical Physics

#292 in the World
Acceptance Rate
9%
Average SAT
1530
Average ACT
35
Net Price
$19,902

79. University of Oklahoma - Norman

For Theoretical Physics

#294 in the World
Acceptance Rate
73%
Average SAT
1230
Average ACT
26
Receiving Aid
99%

80. University of Cincinnati

For Theoretical Physics

#301 in the World
Acceptance Rate
86%
Average SAT
1260
Average ACT
27
Receiving Aid
84%

81. Vanderbilt University

For Theoretical Physics

#305 in the World
Acceptance Rate
7%
Average SAT
1530
Average ACT
35
Net Price
$25,606

82. University of Miami

For Theoretical Physics

#306 in the World
Acceptance Rate
19%
Average SAT
1395
Average ACT
32
Net Price
$36,467

83. Dartmouth College

For Theoretical Physics

#308 in the World
Acceptance Rate
6%
Average SAT
1540
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$19,208

84. College of William and Mary

For Theoretical Physics

#313 in the World
Acceptance Rate
33%
Average SAT
1448
Average ACT
33
Receiving Aid
79%

85. University of Houston

For Theoretical Physics

#319 in the World
Acceptance Rate
66%
Average SAT
1245
Average ACT
26
Receiving Aid
83%

86. University of Kentucky

For Theoretical Physics

#326 in the World
Acceptance Rate
95%
Average SAT
1180
Average ACT
25
Receiving Aid
96%

87. University of Iowa

For Theoretical Physics

#330 in the World
Acceptance Rate
86%
Average SAT
1235
Average ACT
25
Receiving Aid
91%

88. University of South Florida

For Theoretical Physics

#335 in the World
Acceptance Rate
44%
Average SAT
1235
Average ACT
27
Receiving Aid
90%

89. Temple University

For Theoretical Physics

#337 in the World
Acceptance Rate
80%
Receiving Aid
93%
Average Aid
$11,575
Enrollment
33,196

90. University of Central Florida

For Theoretical Physics

#347 in the World
Acceptance Rate
41%
Average SAT
1280
Average ACT
27
Receiving Aid
96%

91. University of Georgia

For Theoretical Physics

#365 in the World
Acceptance Rate
43%
Average SAT
1320
Average ACT
30
Receiving Aid
94%

92. Saint Xavier University

For Theoretical Physics

#370 in the World
Acceptance Rate
84%
Net Price
$11,302
Receiving Aid
100%
Average Aid
$29,886

93. Clarkson University

For Theoretical Physics

#381 in the World
Acceptance Rate
78%
Average SAT
1280
Average ACT
28
Net Price
$32,450

94. Kansas State University

For Theoretical Physics

#401 in the World
Acceptance Rate
95%
Receiving Aid
94%
Average Aid
$8,537
Enrollment
19,722

95. Clark Atlanta University

For Theoretical Physics

#406 in the World
Acceptance Rate
56%
Average SAT
1000
Average ACT
18
Net Price
$30,015

96. CUNY Graduate School and University Center

For Theoretical Physics

#414 in the World
Acceptance Rate
24%
Enrollment
8,733
Male:Female
32:68
Founded
1961

97. Oklahoma State University

For Theoretical Physics

#416 in the World
Acceptance Rate
71%
Average SAT
1130
Average ACT
24
Receiving Aid
98%

98. Oregon State University

For Theoretical Physics

#418 in the World
Acceptance Rate
83%
Receiving Aid
91%
Average Aid
$9,260
Enrollment
34,292

99. University of Kansas

For Theoretical Physics

#420 in the World
Acceptance Rate
88%
Average SAT
1215
Average ACT
25
Receiving Aid
91%

100. Utah State University

For Theoretical Physics

#421 in the World
Acceptance Rate
94%
Average SAT
1175
Average ACT
24
Receiving Aid
91%

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.