Best Physical Sciences Colleges in the United States (2026)
Updated
This page ranks 353 schools in the United States by median earnings of Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing. Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranks 1st with median earnings of $131,025 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the 257 schools with a published figure, earnings range from $131,025 to $10,925, with a median of $59,558. The gap between the first- and second-ranked schools is $20,996.
Public institutions account for 75% of the list, with 265 schools, alongside 88 private nonprofits. CUNY Hunter College posts the lowest average net price at $2,984, while Duke University reports the highest six-year completion rate at 97%.
University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Physical Sciences Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, MA | $131,025 | $20,111 | -$2,533* | 4.6% |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology reports $131,025 in median earnings of Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing and admits 5% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Physics (67 graduates), Chemistry (19 graduates), Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (7 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Physics ($131,025) | |||||
| 2 | University of Notre Dame · Notre Dame, IN | $110,029 | $26,780 | $7,244 | 11.3% |
| University of Notre Dame ranks 2nd on this list, with a six-year completion rate of 95% and an average net price of $7,244 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Physics (33 graduates), Chemistry (14 graduates) | |||||
| 3 | College of the Holy Cross · Worcester, MA | $95,219 | $38,782 | $14,343 | 17.6% |
| College of the Holy Cross posts median earnings of $95,219 for its Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 18%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Chemistry (32 graduates), Physics (17 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Chemistry ($93,122) | |||||
| 4 | Cornell University · Ithaca, NY | No published median | $28,690 | $1,776 | 8.8% |
| Cornell University ranks 47th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $1,776 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Physics (53 graduates), Chemistry (43 graduates), Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (11 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Chemistry ($79,311) | |||||
| 5 | Le Moyne College · Syracuse, NY | $90,761 | $22,277 | $14,535 | 83.0% |
| Le Moyne College reports median earnings of $90,761 for its Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing and a six-year completion rate of 73%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Physics (8 graduates), Chemistry (5 graduates) | |||||
| 6 | Carnegie Mellon University · Pittsburgh, PA | No published median | $31,944 | $9,097 | 11.7% |
| Carnegie Mellon University admits 12% of applicants and reports an average net price of $9,097 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Physics (36 graduates), Materials Sciences (33 graduates), Chemistry (29 graduates) | |||||
| 7 | The College of New Jersey · Ewing, NJ | $90,396 | $27,646 | $7,908 | 62.3% |
| The College of New Jersey reports median earnings of $90,396 for its Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $27,646. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Chemistry (27 graduates), Physics (16 graduates) | |||||
| 8 | Southern Arkansas University Main Campus · Magnolia, AR | $89,685 | $14,027 | $13,187 | 75.3% |
| Southern Arkansas University Main Campus ranks 8th on this list, with an admission rate of 75% and a six-year completion rate of 49%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Physics (31 graduates), Chemistry (7 graduates) | |||||
| 9 | West Virginia Wesleyan College · Buckhannon, WV | $89,430 | $18,083 | $12,611 | 93.3% |
| West Virginia Wesleyan College reports median earnings of $89,430 for its Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $12,611 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Chemistry (9 graduates), Physics (7 graduates) | |||||
| 10 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | No published median | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
| University of California-Berkeley ranks 4th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports a six-year completion rate of 93%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Chemistry (126 graduates), Physics (99 graduates), Astronomy and Astrophysics (48 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Chemistry ($82,386) | |||||
| 11 | University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD | $86,800 | $15,678 | $2,962 | 44.8% |
| An average net price of $2,962 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with median earnings of $86,800 for University of Maryland-College Park's Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Physics (71 graduates), Chemistry (42 graduates), Astronomy and Astrophysics (20 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Physics ($90,900), Chemistry ($79,869) | |||||
| 12 | Bethel University · Saint Paul, MN | $85,657 | $28,556 | $22,218 | 87.8% |
| Bethel University admits 88% of applicants and reports an average net price of $28,556. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Physics (25 graduates) | |||||
| 13 | Georgia College & State University · Milledgeville, GA | $85,089 | $20,686 | $15,396 | 78.2% |
| Georgia College & State University reports median earnings of $85,089 for its Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 64%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Chemistry (17 graduates), Physics (7 graduates) | |||||
| 14 | Willamette University · Salem, OR | $85,045 | $25,121 | $16,182 | 77.1% |
| A private nonprofit university in Salem, Willamette University shows an average net price of $25,121 and an admission rate of 77%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Physics (11 graduates), Chemistry (9 graduates) | |||||
| 15 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus · Atlanta, GA | $82,431 | $12,116 | $7,666 | 14.1% |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus ranks 15th on this list and posts a six-year completion rate of 94% alongside an admission rate of 14%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Physics (67 graduates), Chemistry (29 graduates), Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (14 graduates) | |||||
| 16 | Drexel University · Philadelphia, PA | $82,185 | $38,509 | $28,055 | 79.4% |
| Drexel University lists median earnings of $82,185 for its Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $38,509. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Chemistry (23 graduates), Physics (17 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Chemistry ($82,185) | |||||
| 17 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $82,053 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
| With an admission rate of 29%, University of California-Irvine reports median earnings of $82,053 for its Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Chemistry (112 graduates), Physics (89 graduates), Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (40 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Chemistry ($74,810), Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences ($70,820) | |||||
| 18 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | $81,902 | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo shows an average net price of $7,529 for families earning under $30,000 and a six-year completion rate of 86%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Physics (51 graduates), Chemistry (26 graduates), Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (23 graduates) | |||||
| 19 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · Troy, NY | $81,840 | $36,228 | $24,078 | 63.5% |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ranks 392nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $81,840 for its Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Physics (50 graduates), Chemistry (10 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Physics ($81,840) | |||||
| 20 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell · Lowell, MA | $81,227 | $17,163 | $9,943 | 83.0% |
| University of Massachusetts-Lowell admits 83% of applicants and lists median earnings of $81,227 for its Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Chemistry (23 graduates), Physics (15 graduates), Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology (5 graduates) | |||||
| 21 | University of Delaware · Newark, DE | $80,124 | $17,799 | $10,901 | 70.6% |
| An average net price of $10,901 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with a six-year completion rate of 81% at University of Delaware. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Chemistry (21 graduates), Physics (16 graduates), Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (6 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Chemistry ($84,428) | |||||
| 22 | California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA | $79,878 | $7,021 | $4,905 | 93.5% |
| California State University-Northridge ranks 7th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows an average net price of $7,021. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Chemistry (26 graduates), Physics (19 graduates), Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (16 graduates) | |||||
| 23 | Northeastern University · Boston, MA | No published median | $30,915 | $2,264 | 5.2% |
| Northeastern University admits 5% of applicants and lists an average net price of $2,264 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Physics (27 graduates), Chemistry (18 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Chemistry ($88,364) | |||||
| 24 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $79,609 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
| University of California-San Diego reports median earnings of $79,609 for its Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing and ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Chemistry (346 graduates), Physics (53 graduates), Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology (15 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Physics ($95,018), Chemistry ($77,249) | |||||
| 25 | George Mason University · Fairfax, VA | $79,591 | $17,915 | $11,942 | 87.5% |
| George Mason University reports median earnings of $79,591 for its Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 87%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Chemistry (40 graduates), Physics (22 graduates), Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (11 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Chemistry ($77,681) | |||||
* Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses.
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Physical Sciences graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Physical Sciences earnings cohort in the United States appear. The figure is the median for federally aided Physical Sciences completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 81 of the 353 listed schools the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 257 schools with a published figure. Massachusetts Institute of Technology reports $131,025, and the gap to second-ranked University of Notre Dame is $20,996.
Related rankings
- Physical Sciences Colleges for Social Mobility