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# Best Physics Programs in the Midwest (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Physical Sciences Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-physical-sciences-colleges-in-the-midwest/)

Regional list from [Best Physics Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-physics-programs/)

This page ranks the 23 Physics programs in the Midwest by median earnings of Physics graduates four years after completing. [University of Notre Dame](/school/university-of-notre-dame/majors/) 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](/school/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/majors/) 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

23 schools in list order

| 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](/school/university-of-notre-dame/majors/) reports [median earnings of $110,029](/school/university-of-notre-dame/outcomes/) 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](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/majors/) left with a [median of $19,976](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/) 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](/school/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/majors/) posts an [average net price of $1,043](/school/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/cost/) 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](/school/university-of-wisconsin-eau-claire/majors/) shows [median earnings of $87,033](/school/university-of-wisconsin-eau-claire/outcomes/) 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](/school/university-of-wisconsin-river-falls/majors/) [admits 82% of applicants](/school/university-of-wisconsin-river-falls/admissions/) 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](/school/illinois-state-university/majors/) ranks 7th on this list and carries a [median federal debt of $20,482](/school/illinois-state-university/cost/) 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](/school/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/majors/) reports [median earnings of $81,077](/school/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/outcomes/) 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](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 coincides with a 9th finish on this list for [University of Wisconsin-La Crosse](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/majors/). |
| 10 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN | $80,025 | $16,778 | $6,642 | 79.8% |
|  | [University of Minnesota-Twin Cities](/school/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/majors/) [ranks 107th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/) 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](/school/university-of-wisconsin-madison/majors/) [admits 45% of applicants](/school/university-of-wisconsin-madison/admissions/) 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](/school/lewis-university/majors/) left with a [median of $21,500](/school/lewis-university/outcomes/) 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](/school/gustavus-adolphus-college/majors/), a private nonprofit college in Saint Peter, reports [median earnings of $73,540](/school/gustavus-adolphus-college/outcomes/) 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](/school/university-of-nebraska-lincoln/majors/) ranks 14th on this list and posts an [admission rate of 87%](/school/university-of-nebraska-lincoln/admissions/). |
| 15 | DePaul University · Chicago, IL | $69,338 | $30,902 | $27,359 | 75.9% |
|  | [DePaul University](/school/depaul-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $69,338](/school/depaul-university/outcomes/) 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](/school/purdue-university-main-campus/majors/) carries an [average net price of $14,600](/school/purdue-university-main-campus/cost/) 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](/school/michigan-state-university/majors/) [ranks 69th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/michigan-state-university/) 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](/school/university-of-missouri-columbia/majors/) reports [median earnings of $43,426](/school/university-of-missouri-columbia/outcomes/) 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](/school/carleton-college/majors/) [admits 20% of applicants](/school/carleton-college/admissions/) 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](/school/indiana-university-bloomington/majors/) posts an [average net price of $6,324](/school/indiana-university-bloomington/cost/) 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](/school/university-of-chicago/majors/) reports 66 graduates in the earnings cohort and a [median of $39,909](/school/university-of-chicago/outcomes/) 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](/school/st-olaf-college/majors/) ranks 23rd on this list and shows an [average net price of $10,404](/school/st-olaf-college/cost/) 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](/rankings/best-physics-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-midwest/)
-   [Top Physics Programs in the West by Earnings](/rankings/best-physics-programs-in-the-west/)
-   [Best Physics Programs in the South](/rankings/best-physics-programs-in-the-south/)
-   [Best Physics Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-physics-programs-in-the-northeast/)
-   [Best Physical Sciences Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-physical-sciences-colleges-in-the-midwest/)
-   Physical Sciences Colleges in the Midwest for Social Mobility