Best Physics Programs in California (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 14 Physics programs in California by the median earnings of Physics graduates four years after completing, highest first. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo ranks 1st on this list, reporting median earnings of $96,805 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $96,805 to $57,318, with a median of $85,464. For 1 of the 14 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Every program on the list is at a public institution. University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
California State University-San Bernardino posts the lowest average net price, at $4,564. California State University-San Marcos has the highest admission rate, admitting 95% of applicants, while University of California-Los Angeles is the most selective, with an admission rate of 9%.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | $96,805 | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo reports $96,805 in median earnings of Physics graduates four years after completing, the highest figure on this list, alongside an admission rate of 31%. | |||||
| 2 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $96,215 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
| University of California-Irvine ranks 2nd on this list with median earnings of $96,215 four years after completing, and its Physics completers who borrowed left with a median of $13,590 in federal loans. | |||||
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $96,043 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
| With an average net price of $13,481, University of California-Berkeley posts median earnings of $96,043 for its Physics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $95,018 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
| University of California-San Diego holds 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports $95,018 in median earnings for its Physics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $87,856 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomona admits 75% of applicants and its Physics graduates four years after completing earn a median of $87,856. | |||||
| 6 | California State University-Fullerton · Fullerton, CA | $86,504 | $6,555 | $3,315 | 90.5% |
| An average net price of $6,555 and a school-wide median federal debt of $13,750 for borrowers who completed are reported by California State University-Fullerton. | |||||
| 7 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $85,708 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
| University of California-Los Angeles ranks 7th on this list, with median earnings of $85,708 four years after completing and an admission rate of 9%. | |||||
| 8 | University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA | $85,219 | $16,109 | $9,231 | 33.0% |
| Median earnings of $85,219 for its Physics graduates four years after completing are reported by University of California-Santa Barbara, from a cohort of 161 graduates. | |||||
| 9 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $78,569 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
| University of California-Davis shows an average net price of $14,741 and median federal debt of $14,354 among Physics completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 10 | University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA | $74,410 | $14,304 | $8,852 | 76.4% |
| An admission rate of 76% and median earnings of $74,410 for its Physics graduates four years after completing are posted by University of California-Riverside. | |||||
| 11 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $70,462 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
| California State University-Long Beach ranks 5th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $70,462 for its Physics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $64,133 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $15,000 in federal loans at California State University-Sacramento, which lists an average net price of $9,338. | |||||
| 13 | California State University-San Bernardino · San Bernardino, CA | $62,004 | $4,564 | $2,681 | 93.7% |
| An average net price of $2,681 for families earning under $30,000 accompanies California State University-San Bernardino's median earnings of $62,004 for its Physics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 14 | California State University-San Marcos · San Marcos, CA | $57,318 | $10,229 | $6,230 | 95.1% |
| California State University-San Marcos ranks 14th on this list and shows an admission rate of 95%, with median earnings of $57,318 four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Physics graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in California appear. The figures cover federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled. For 1 of the 14 listed programs 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 from $96,805 to $57,318 yields a spread of $39,487, and the gap between California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo and University of California-Irvine is just $590.
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