Top Physics Programs in New York by Earnings (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 11 Physics programs in New York by median earnings of Physics graduates four years after completing. Cornell University ranks 1st on this list, reporting median earnings of $118,649 for its Physics graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $118,649 to $29,250, with a median of $75,281. For 2 of the 11 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Of the 11 schools, 3 are public and 8 are private nonprofit. Stony Brook University ranks 45th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. SUNY College at Geneseo posts the lowest average net price on the list, at $18,211.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornell University · Ithaca, NY | $118,649 | $28,690 | $1,776 | 8.8% |
| Cornell University reports $118,649 in median earnings of Physics graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $1,776 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 2 | Le Moyne College · Syracuse, NY | $99,009 | $22,277 | $14,535 | 83.0% |
| Le Moyne College admits 83% of applicants and its graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $23,000 in federal loans. | |||||
| 3 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · Troy, NY | $81,840 | $36,228 | $24,078 | 63.5% |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ranks 3rd on this list, with median federal debt of $20,270 among Physics completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 4 | SUNY Oneonta · Oneonta, NY | $80,041 | $19,158 | $11,044 | 69.6% |
| SUNY Oneonta, a public university in Oneonta, posts an average net price of $19,158 and a school-wide median federal debt of $19,812 across all of its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 5 | SUNY College at Geneseo · Geneseo, NY | $77,575 | $18,211 | $10,018 | 66.5% |
| An average net price of $10,018 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with $77,575 in median earnings of Physics graduates four years after completing at SUNY College at Geneseo. | |||||
| 6 | Rochester Institute of Technology · Rochester, NY | $75,281 | $34,906 | $24,680 | 66.9% |
| Rochester Institute of Technology reports median federal debt of $27,000 among Physics completers who borrowed and an admission rate of 67%. | |||||
| 7 | New York University · New York, NY | $69,334 | $37,050 | $16,977 | 9.2% |
| New York University ranks 146th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports $69,334 in median earnings of Physics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | Siena University · Loudonville, NY | $66,865 | $33,733 | $26,417 | 69.0% |
| Siena University posts an average net price of $33,733 and median federal debt of $23,500 among Physics completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 9 | Stony Brook University · Stony Brook, NY | $65,013 | $18,784 | $12,943 | 49.0% |
| Stony Brook University reports $65,013 in median earnings of Physics graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 49%. | |||||
| 10 | Columbia University in the City of New York · New York, NY | $38,289 | $21,590 | $4,570 | 4.0% |
| Columbia University in the City of New York admits 4% of applicants and posts an average net price of $4,570 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 11 | Ithaca College · Ithaca, NY | $29,250 | $33,926 | $21,901 | 69.0% |
| Ithaca College ranks 11th on this list, with $29,250 in median earnings of Physics graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $33,926. | |||||
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 New York appear. The figure covers federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 2 of the 11 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 gap between first-ranked Cornell University and second-ranked Le Moyne College is $19,640.
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