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# Best Physics Programs in Pennsylvania (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

This page ranks the 5 Physics programs in Pennsylvania by median earnings of Physics graduates four years after completing. [Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus](/school/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/majors/) leads the list at $81,763, with a cohort of 50 graduates.

The median across the listed programs is $73,703, and the figures span from $81,763 to $45,198, a spread of $36,565. For 1 of the 5 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 4 of the 5 programs, with 1 private nonprofit program on the list. Villanova University ranks 263rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

[Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania](/school/commonwealth-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/) posts the lowest average net price at $15,699, while Villanova University is the most selective, admitting 27% of applicants.

## The ranked list

5 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · University Park, PA | $81,763 | $32,875 | $19,845 | 60.6% |
|  | [Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus](/school/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/majors/) reports [$81,763 in median earnings](/school/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/) of Physics graduates four years after completing, the highest figure on this list, alongside an admission rate of 61%. |
| 2 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania · Kutztown, PA | $74,813 | $21,331 | $15,957 | 90.8% |
|  | [Kutztown University of Pennsylvania](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/) ranks 2nd on this page with [median earnings of $74,813](/school/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/) four years after completing, and its graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $26,000 in federal loans. |
| 3 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania · Bloomsburg, PA | $73,703 | $15,699 | $11,374 | 93.1% |
|  | [Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania](/school/commonwealth-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/) has an [average net price of $15,699](/school/commonwealth-university-of-pennsylvania/cost/) and admits 93% of applicants. |
| 4 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania · Indiana, PA | $64,837 | $16,804 | $12,364 | 90.8% |
|  | [Indiana University of Pennsylvania](/school/indiana-university-of-pennsylvania/majors/) posts [median earnings of $64,837](/school/indiana-university-of-pennsylvania/outcomes/) for its Physics graduates four years after completing, and its Physics completers who borrowed carry a median federal debt of $26,000. |
| 5 | Villanova University · Villanova, PA | $45,198 | $43,756 | $17,823 | 27.0% |
|  | [Villanova University](/school/villanova-university/majors/), a private nonprofit university, holds the strongest Azimuth composite rank on the page at 263rd among nonprofit four-year institutions and has an [average net price of $17,823](/school/villanova-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |

## 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 Pennsylvania appear. The figures cover federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 1 of the 5 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 spread from top to bottom is $36,565, with Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus reporting $81,763 and the fifth-ranked program at $45,198.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Physics Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-physics-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in Pennsylvania](/rankings/best-colleges-in-pennsylvania/)
-   [Best Physics Programs in California](/rankings/best-physics-programs-in-california/)
-   [Best Physics Programs in Florida](/rankings/best-physics-programs-in-florida/)
-   [Top Physics Programs in New York by Earnings](/rankings/best-physics-programs-in-new-york/)
-   Physics Programs in Illinois
-   Physical Sciences Colleges in Pennsylvania for Social Mobility
-   Physical Sciences Colleges in Pennsylvania