100 Best Physics schools in the United States

Updated:

EduRank

Below is a list of best universities in the United States ranked based on their research performance in Physics. A graph of 317M citations received by 9.3M academic papers made by 1,485 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. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

For Physics

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

2. University of California - Berkeley

For Physics

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

3. Stanford University

For Physics

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

4. Harvard University

For Physics

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

5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

For Physics

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

6. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

For Physics

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

7. University of California - Los Angeles

For Physics

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

8. Cornell University

For Physics

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

9. Princeton University

For Physics

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

10. University of Washington - Seattle

For Physics

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

11. California Institute of Technology

For Physics

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

12. Pennsylvania State University

For Physics

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

13. University of Texas at Austin

For Physics

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

14. University of Wisconsin - Madison

For Physics

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

15. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

For Physics

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

16. University of California-San Diego

For Physics

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

17. Georgia Institute of Technology

For Physics

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

18. University of Maryland - College Park

For Physics

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

19. University of California - Santa Barbara

For Physics

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

20. Columbia University

For Physics

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

21. University of Pennsylvania

For Physics

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

22. Johns Hopkins University

For Physics

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

23. Ohio State University

For Physics

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

24. Northwestern University

For Physics

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

25. Yale University

For Physics

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

26. Texas A&M University - College Station

For Physics

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

27. Purdue University

For Physics

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

28. University of Chicago

For Physics

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

29. University of Florida

For Physics

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

30. University of Arizona

For Physics

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

31. University of California - Davis

For Physics

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

32. University of Southern California

For Physics

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

33. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

For Physics

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

34. Carnegie Mellon University

For Physics

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

35. University of Colorado Boulder

For Physics

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

36. Iowa State University

For Physics

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

37. Michigan State University

For Physics

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

38. Arizona State University - Tempe

For Physics

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

39. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

For Physics

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

40. New York University

For Physics

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

41. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

For Physics

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

42. University of Utah

For Physics

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

43. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

For Physics

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

44. Duke University

For Physics

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

45. University of Pittsburgh

For Physics

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

46. University of California - Irvine

For Physics

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

47. Boston University

For Physics

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

48. University of Virginia

For Physics

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

49. University of Rochester

For Physics

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

50. Stony Brook University

For Physics

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

51. University of California - San Francisco

For Physics

#128 in the World
Acceptance Rate
13%
Enrollment
3,140
Male:Female
35:65
Founded
1864

52. Washington University in St Louis

For Physics

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

53. Rice University

For Physics

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

54. Case Western Reserve University

For Physics

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

55. University of Massachusetts - Amherst

For Physics

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

56. University of Tennessee - Knoxville

For Physics

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

57. University of Delaware

For Physics

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

58. Brown University

For Physics

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

59. University of Iowa

For Physics

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

60. Providence College

For Physics

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

61. University of Illinois at Chicago

For Physics

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

62. University of Notre Dame

For Physics

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

63. University at Buffalo

For Physics

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

64. Vanderbilt University

For Physics

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

65. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

For Physics

#207 in the World
Acceptance Rate
65%
Average SAT
1440
Average ACT
32
Net Price
$39,127

66. University of Connecticut

For Physics

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

67. University of California - Riverside

For Physics

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

68. Washington State University

For Physics

#218 in the World
Acceptance Rate
83%
Receiving Aid
88%
Average Aid
$10,689
Enrollment
27,539

69. Florida State University

For Physics

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

70. University of Houston

For Physics

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

71. University of California - Santa Cruz

For Physics

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

72. University of Kentucky

For Physics

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

73. University of Georgia

For Physics

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

74. Colorado State University - Fort Collins

For Physics

#234 in the World
Acceptance Rate
91%
Average SAT
1185
Average ACT
26
Receiving Aid
84%

75. Emory University

For Physics

#247 in the World
Acceptance Rate
11%
Average SAT
1490
Average ACT
33
Net Price
$26,680

76. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

For Physics

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

77. University of Central Florida

For Physics

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

78. University of Cincinnati

For Physics

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

79. Oregon State University

For Physics

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

80. University of New Mexico

For Physics

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

81. University of Missouri - Columbia

For Physics

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

82. University of South Carolina - Columbia

For Physics

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

83. University of Miami

For Physics

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

84. University of Nebraska - Lincoln

For Physics

#276 in the World
Acceptance Rate
79%
Average SAT
1225
Average ACT
25
Receiving Aid
95%

85. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science

For Physics

#291 in the World
Acceptance Rate
64%
Net Price
$11,830
Receiving Aid
100%
Average Aid
$2,182

86. Northeastern University

For Physics

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

87. Wayne State University

For Physics

#296 in the World
Acceptance Rate
75%
Average SAT
1150
Average ACT
25
Receiving Aid
98%

88. Drexel University

For Physics

#301 in the World
Acceptance Rate
80%
Average SAT
1330
Average ACT
30
Net Price
$39,267

89. Clemson University

For Physics

#314 in the World
Acceptance Rate
43%
Average SAT
1315
Average ACT
30
Receiving Aid
85%

90. Tufts University

For Physics

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

91. Tulane University of Louisiana

For Physics

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

92. University of South Florida

For Physics

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

93. University of Oklahoma - Norman

For Physics

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

94. University of Kansas

For Physics

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

95. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

For Physics

#350 in the World
Acceptance Rate
83%
Average SAT
1150
Average ACT
24
Receiving Aid
91%

96. Syracuse University

For Physics

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

97. University of Maryland, Baltimore

For Physics

#366 in the World
Acceptance Rate
65%
Enrollment
6,931
Male:Female
27:73
Founded
1807

98. University of Alabama at Birmingham

For Physics

#371 in the World
Acceptance Rate
87%
Average SAT
1305
Average ACT
27
Receiving Aid
96%

99. Kansas State University

For Physics

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

100. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

For Physics

#377 in the World
Enrollment
2,354
Male:Female
45:55
Founded
1943

The best cities to study Physics in the United States based on the number of universities and their ranks are Cambridge, Berkeley, Stanford, and Ann Arbor.