Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find, well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Colleges and Universities for Physics Degrees

BEST FOR PHYSICS COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

By Dr. Jed Macosko and James Barham

Published: Nov 8, 2021
Updated: Nov 27, 2023

The best physics degree programs are those with rich histories of influence, proven through the work produced by the program’s faculty and alumni. Beyond demonstrating scholarly impact in the field, the best physics degree programs maximize your opportunities to interact with outstanding physics faculty.

Key Takeaways

Competent physics majors from excellent physics schools possess a strong analytical skill set, giving them excellent job opportunities and salaries comparable to engineers and computer scientists.
The best physics programs, both graduate and undergraduate, qualify graduates to work in diverse fields not limited to physics alone, but also in geosciences, chemistry, engineering physics, and mathematics.
Physics professionals typically work in government and industrial laboratories, on college campuses, as astronauts, and as TV consultants.

Table of Contents

A bachelor’s degree in physics is an excellent starting point for a career in engineering, alternative energy, space exploration, and a host of other exciting and rapidly innovating fields. As a physics major, you’ll study subjects such as calculus, mechanics, and thermodynamics.

Your degree will incorporate a variety of branches within math and physics, including astrophysics, biophysics, and quantum physics. The best schools for physics are those which are regionally accredited, which offer a full array of physics concentrations, and which give you the chance to work with the best and most influential professors and classmates.

Featured Programs

A college’s physics department offers the best curricula to produce the most competent professionals. A significant number of physics graduates go on to earn doctorates. Others venture into medical or military fields. Physics majors can also pursue careers as scientists, astronomers, engineers, and cosmologists.

No matter the occupation, employers seek creative problem solvers! And this is what a physics degree, particularly those that work in partnership with the National Science Foundation, can equip graduates with.

Physicists discovered relativity and string theory, which impacted diverse industries and societies and . They use mathematics to understand and solve interesting problems. Aside from tackling core courses on computing, data analytics, and the sciences, students also complete mathematical courses. They also learn technical writing, leadership, and critical thinking skills.

Physicists discovered relativity and string theory, which impacted diverse industries and societies and changed how we live. They use mathematics to understand and solve interesting problems.

Aside from tackling core courses on computing, data analytics, and the sciences, students also complete mathematical courses. They also learn technical writing, leadership, and critical thinking skills.

Importance of Work Experience

Pursuing a career in the field of best physics will require you to acquire work experience at the onset. If you can gain relevant work experiences, such as a placement or a year in the industry, take advantage of it. Build your network and gain practical skills during this time to complement your academic studies.

Engage in professional groups and organizations at the best physics college or university. Some of the best physics colleges and schools offer many physics-related events and groups you can join.

Become a laboratory technician or assistant as a part-time or summer job if you want to pursue a career in science. Working during vacations or summer internships help to develop leadership, communication, and teamwork skills, and is always beneficial.

Get relevant internship experience in whatever field you are interested in to improve your chances of getting a job. If you plan to enter the education sector as a physics educator, spend some time observing and working with students in the classroom. The key is to be on the hunt for any work, study abroad, and internship opportunities.

Career Outlook for Physics Graduates

It is interesting to note that very few “physicist” hiring opportunities exist for graduates with only a bachelor’s degree. In general, physicist jobs are reserved for people with a PhD.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the overall employment of physicists and astronomers is expected to grow by 8% by 2031.

Graduates with a PhD are highly desirable in the job market due to their problem-solving and abstract thinking training. Some other professions to apply for include academic researcher, meteorologist, geophysicist, technical author, data analyst, and more.

The number of atmospheric scientists, such as meteorologists, is expected to increase by 700 annually over the next decade. If you have a physics degree, you may be interested in its economic value. There are differing salary ranges for different concentrations, but overall, physics is a well-paying field.

Frequently Asked Questions About Physics Bachelor’s Degrees

Earning a bachelor’s degree in physics can open numerous professional doors, particularly in the field of engineering. A physics degree can help prepare you for work as an engineering technician, data scientist, or geologist. It’s also a great starting point if you plan to eventually pursue a license to be a professional engineer (PE), or if you intend to continue into an advanced degree program and become a research scientist, physicist, or astronomer. The best schools for physics will put you in a position to become an innovator and a leader in this exciting and challenging field.

Today, top influencers in physics are breaking new ground in Mathematical Physics, Quantum Field Theory, Theoretical Physics, and much more.

Physics is a great major because it can serve as the starting point for a number of well-paying careers. For instance, physicists and astronomers earned a median of $122,220 per year in 2019; geoscientists earned a median salary of $92,040; and industrial engineers saw a median of $88,020 in the same year. A bachelor’s degree in physics gives you the chance to choose between these and a wide range of other pathways where salaries and the rate of job growth are much higher than the average for all professions.

Once you’ve declared your major in physics, you will likely be required to complete a set of core courses in a number of STEM-related subject areas. While your concentration will give you a chance to choose from a wide range of highly-specialized physics electives, there are several common courses that most physics majors will be required to take, including:

Classical Mechanics
Modern Physics
Calculus
Mathematical Physics
Thermodynamics
Differential Equations
Electricity and Magnetism
Waves and Optics
Statistical Physics
Quantum Mechanics
Atomic Physics

Earning a degree in physics can qualify you for a number of well-paying jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of jobs for physicists and astronomers is expected to grow at a rate of 5% by 2029, which is faster than the average for all occupations. For industrial engineers, that rate is even higher, at 10%. Depending on your concentration, a degree in physics could help you make the jump into one of these high-growth sectors. The following are among the most popular jobs for physics majors:

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).
Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.
Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.
The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

The Best Colleges and Universities for Physics Degrees

Harvard University
MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton University
Stanford University
CalTech – California Institute of Technology

Go to The Best Physics Major Research Universities

Swarthmore College
Williams College
Amherst College
Wellesley College
Pomona College

Go to The Best Physics Major Liberal Arts Colleges

Career Outlook for Students with Physics Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

Physics

Degree Level: Bachelor's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $11,446
Avg. Expenses*: $16,520
Avg. Starting Salary*: $43,002
Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $65,304
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 9 years
Job Growth: 4.80%
Number of Jobs: 1,176,100
* denotes ‘annually’
** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Physicists	7.83%	$130,254
Natural Sciences Managers	5.84%	$125,629
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary	8.12%	$86,929
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	4.60%	$59,227

Average Career Salaries

Bottom 10%	Median	Top 10%
$64,709	$108,037	$152,053

Promising Job Markets

State	Cost of Living	Avg. Salary
#2 Kansas	9% higher than average	$130,464
#3 New York	5% higher than average	$142,332
#4 North Carolina	11% higher than average	$117,812
#5 Missouri	16% higher than average	$110,897
#6 Arizona	5% higher than average	$125,056
#7 Texas	10% higher than average	$117,025
#8 Illinois	7% higher than average	$118,624
#9 Michigan	15% higher than average	$107,636
#10 Virginia	5% higher than average	$119,196
#11 Tennessee	14% higher than average	$106,520
#12 Wisconsin	7% higher than average	$115,623
#13 Minnesota	4% higher than average	$117,745
#14 New Jersey	13% higher than average	$139,616
#15 California	26% higher than average	$154,729
#16 South Dakota	7% higher than average	$111,291
#17 Ohio	14% higher than average	$103,416
#18 Colorado	3% higher than average	$121,332
#19 Alabama	13% higher than average	$100,339
#20 Connecticut	18% higher than average	$132,580
#21 Arkansas	16% higher than average	$94,103
#22 Georgia	13% higher than average	$96,274
#23 Washington	7% higher than average	$115,521
#24 Kentucky	14% higher than average	$92,146
#25 Pennsylvania	5% higher than average	$102,224
#26 Mississippi	18% higher than average	$87,804
#27 Rhode Island	20% higher than average	$127,318
#28 Idaho	7% higher than average	$98,523
#29 Oklahoma	13% higher than average	$90,219
#30 Florida	6% higher than average	$97,801
#31 South Carolina	8% higher than average	$95,265
#32 New Mexico	7% higher than average	$95,759
#33 Massachusetts	24% higher than average	$124,856
#34 Montana	3% higher than average	$96,052
#35 Louisiana	9% higher than average	$88,966
#36 Maryland	18% higher than average	$115,850
#37 Oregon	11% higher than average	$107,296
#38 West Virginia	11% higher than average	$85,304
#39 Indiana	11% higher than average	$85,164
#40 Nebraska	6% higher than average	$89,742
#41 Maine	9% higher than average	$103,026
#42 North Dakota	average	$94,723
#43 Wyoming	2% higher than average	$91,460
#44 Nevada	5% higher than average	$97,245
#45 Delaware	2% higher than average	$94,591
#46 New Hampshire	13% higher than average	$99,313
#47 Iowa	9% higher than average	$80,201
#48 Utah	4% higher than average	$83,572
#49 Alaska	23% higher than average	$106,313
#50 District of Columbia	49% higher than average	$126,898
#51 Vermont	13% higher than average	$93,183
#52 Hawaii	40% higher than average	$89,046

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$206,380
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$206,380
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction	$193,530
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only)	$193,030
Wholesale Trade	$192,520
Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing	$191,790
Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities	$191,790
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$191,420
Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$172,090
Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$167,850

Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

The Best Physics Schools in Your State

Learn More About Physics

If you want to know more about physics, then check out our related content:

Learn how to major in physics
Think about your next step and what you can do with a master’s degree in physics
Learn more about physics from our interviews with influential physicists
Find out who are the most influential physicists today

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here