Best Physics Programs in the Midwest (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Physical Sciences Colleges in the Midwest
Regional list from Best Physics Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 23 Physics programs in the Midwest by median earnings of Physics graduates four years after completing. University of Notre Dame ranks 1st with median earnings of $110,029 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $110,029 to $39,009, with a median of $76,122. For 7 of the 23 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 14 of the 23 schools, or 61%, and private nonprofits for 9. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ranks 16th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the best on the list.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor posts the lowest average net price, at $13,138.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Notre Dame · Notre Dame, IN | $110,029 | $26,780 | $7,244 | 11.3% |
| University of Notre Dame reports median earnings of $110,029 for its Physics graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 11%. | |||||
| 2 | Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH | $94,543 | $17,339 | $4,885 | 60.6% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at Ohio State University-Main Campus left with a median of $19,976 in federal loans, and the school's Physics completers earn a median of $94,543 four years after graduating. | |||||
| 3 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI | $92,293 | $13,138 | $1,043 | 15.6% |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor posts an average net price of $1,043 for families earning under $30,000 and ranks 16th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire · Eau Claire, WI | $87,033 | $16,550 | $10,270 | 82.3% |
| With a cohort of 14 graduates in the earnings cohort, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire shows median earnings of $87,033 for its Physics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Bethel University · Saint Paul, MN | $85,657 | $28,556 | $22,218 | 87.8% |
| Bethel University, a private nonprofit university in Saint Paul, reports an average net price of $22,218 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls · River Falls, WI | $85,638 | $14,054 | $8,472 | 81.7% |
| University of Wisconsin-River Falls admits 82% of applicants and its Physics graduates earn a median of $85,638 four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | Illinois State University · Normal, IL | $81,949 | $19,398 | $11,568 | 88.2% |
| Illinois State University ranks 7th on this list and carries a median federal debt of $20,482 across all of its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 8 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL | $81,077 | $14,355 | $2,038 | 42.4% |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign reports median earnings of $81,077 for its Physics graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 47. | |||||
| 9 | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse · La Crosse, WI | $80,594 | $16,210 | $8,224 | 75.5% |
| An average net price of $8,224 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with a 9th finish on this list for University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. | |||||
| 10 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN | $80,025 | $16,778 | $6,642 | 79.8% |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities ranks 107th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and its Physics graduates earn a median of $80,025 four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI | $77,380 | $17,354 | $4,200 | 45.2% |
| A public institution in Madison, University of Wisconsin-Madison admits 45% of applicants and reports an average net price of $4,200 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 12 | Lewis University · Romeoville, IL | $76,122 | $17,028 | $10,382 | 71.3% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at Lewis University left with a median of $21,500 in federal loans, and the school's Physics completers earn a median of $76,122 four years after graduating. | |||||
| 13 | Gustavus Adolphus College · Saint Peter, MN | $73,540 | $22,900 | $12,015 | 61.0% |
| Gustavus Adolphus College, a private nonprofit college in Saint Peter, reports median earnings of $73,540 for its Physics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 14 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln · Lincoln, NE | $71,752 | $17,747 | $12,751 | 87.5% |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln ranks 14th on this list and posts an admission rate of 87%. | |||||
| 15 | DePaul University · Chicago, IL | $69,338 | $30,902 | $27,359 | 75.9% |
| DePaul University reports median earnings of $69,338 for its Physics graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $30,902. | |||||
| 16 | Purdue University-Main Campus · West Lafayette, IN | $67,505 | $14,600 | $5,098 | 49.9% |
| Purdue University-Main Campus carries an average net price of $14,600 and an Azimuth composite rank of 87th among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 17 | Coe College · Cedar Rapids, IA | $61,162 | $18,745 | $11,479 | 64.0% |
| Coe College reports 18 graduates in the earnings cohort and a median of $61,162 for its Physics completers four years after completing. | |||||
| 18 | Michigan State University · East Lansing, MI | $52,107 | $19,680 | $7,068 | 84.8% |
| Michigan State University ranks 69th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows an average net price of $19,680. | |||||
| 19 | University of Missouri-Columbia · Columbia, MO | $43,426 | $20,268 | $13,841 | 78.5% |
| University of Missouri-Columbia reports median earnings of $43,426 for its Physics graduates four years after completing, with 22 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 20 | Carleton College · Northfield, MN | $42,774 | $25,407 | $7,881 | 20.4% |
| Carleton College admits 20% of applicants and reports median earnings of $42,774 for its Physics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 21 | Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN | $42,682 | $16,264 | $6,324 | 78.2% |
| Indiana University-Bloomington posts an average net price of $6,324 for families earning under $30,000 and ranks 96th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 22 | University of Chicago · Chicago, IL | $39,909 | $14,860 | -$1,264* | 4.5% |
| University of Chicago reports 66 graduates in the earnings cohort and a median of $39,909 for its Physics completers four years after completing. | |||||
| 23 | St Olaf College · Northfield, MN | $39,009 | $23,874 | $10,404 | 48.3% |
| St Olaf College ranks 23rd on this list and shows an average net price of $10,404 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
* 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
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 the Midwest appear. The median covers federally aided completers of the program who were working and not enrolled. For 7 of the 23 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 University of Notre Dame and Ohio State University-Main Campus is $15,486, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $71,020.
Related rankings
- Best Physics Programs in the United States
- Best Colleges in the Midwest
- Top Physics Programs in the West by Earnings
- Best Physics Programs in the South
- Best Physics Programs in the Northeast
- Best Physical Sciences Colleges in the Midwest
- Physical Sciences Colleges in the Midwest for Social Mobility