[College research](/) / [Rankings](/rankings/)

# Top Physics Programs in the West by Earnings (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

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

This page ranks the 32 Physics programs in the West by the median earnings of Physics graduates four years after completing, highest first. [Oregon State University](/school/oregon-state-university/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $103,167 for its Physics graduates four years after completing.

Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $103,167 to $29,685, with a median of $76,512. For 5 of the 32 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 29 of the 32 programs, or 91%, alongside 3 private nonprofit programs. California State University-San Bernardino posts the lowest average net price on the list at $4,564.

University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

32 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Oregon State University · Corvallis, OR | $103,167 | $19,604 | $12,107 | 77.3% |
|  | [Oregon State University](/school/oregon-state-university/majors/) reports [$103,167 in median earnings](/school/oregon-state-university/outcomes/) for its Physics graduates four years after completing, the highest figure on this list. |
| 2 | Whitworth University · Spokane, WA | $99,842 | $26,534 | $16,788 | 89.8% |
|  | Whitworth University, a private nonprofit university in Spokane, ranks 2nd on this list and posts an average net price of $26,534. |
| 3 | 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](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/majors/) [admits 31% of applicants](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $96,805 for its Physics graduates four years after completing. |
| 4 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $96,215 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
|  | [University of California-Irvine](/school/university-of-california-irvine/majors/) [ranks 12th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-california-irvine/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows median federal debt of $13,590 among Physics completers who borrowed. |
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $96,043 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
|  | An [average net price of $5,311](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 coincides with median earnings of $96,043 for [University of California-Berkeley](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/)'s Physics graduates four years after completing. |
| 6 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $95,018 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
|  | [University of California-San Diego](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/majors/) reports [median earnings of $95,018](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/outcomes/) for its Physics graduates four years after completing and ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 7 | Willamette University · Salem, OR | $89,506 | $25,121 | $16,182 | 77.1% |
|  | Willamette University posts an average net price of $25,121 and reports median federal debt of $19,500 among Physics completers who borrowed. |
| 8 | University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ | $88,207 | $16,674 | $13,353 | 86.1% |
|  | [University of Arizona](/school/university-of-arizona/majors/) [admits 86% of applicants](/school/university-of-arizona/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $88,207 for its Physics graduates four years after completing. |
| 9 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $87,856 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% |
|  | [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/majors/) [ranks 15th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows an average net price of $11,531. |
| 10 | Portland State University · Portland, OR | $87,488 | $9,552 | $7,655 | 90.9% |
|  | [Portland State University](/school/portland-state-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $87,488](/school/portland-state-university/outcomes/) for its Physics graduates four years after completing, with median federal debt of $22,358 among those completers who borrowed. |
| 11 | California State University-Fullerton · Fullerton, CA | $86,504 | $6,555 | $3,315 | 90.5% |
|  | [California State University-Fullerton](/school/california-state-university-fullerton/majors/) shows an [average net price of $6,555](/school/california-state-university-fullerton/cost/) and reports median federal debt of $13,750 across all of the school's borrowers who completed. |
| 12 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $85,708 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
|  | [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/) [admits 9% of applicants](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/admissions/), the lowest admission rate on the page, and reports median earnings of $85,708 for its Physics graduates four years after completing. |
| 13 | University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA | $85,219 | $16,109 | $9,231 | 33.0% |
|  | 13th on this list, [University of California-Santa Barbara](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/majors/) reports [median earnings of $85,219](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/outcomes/) for its Physics graduates four years after completing. |
| 14 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ | $81,696 | $14,967 | $9,070 | 89.9% |
|  | Ranking 14th on this list, [Arizona State University Campus Immersion](/school/arizona-state-university-campus-immersion/majors/) shows a [median federal debt of $21,500](/school/arizona-state-university-campus-immersion/cost/) among Physics completers who borrowed. |
| 15 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $78,569 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 42%](/school/university-of-california-davis/admissions/), [University of California-Davis](/school/university-of-california-davis/majors/) posts median earnings of $78,569 for its Physics graduates four years after completing. |
| 16 | University of Utah · Salt Lake City, UT | $77,158 | $16,200 | $13,123 | 86.0% |
|  | [University of Utah](/school/university-of-utah/majors/) sits 16th on this page and carries an [average net price of $13,123](/school/university-of-utah/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 17 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $75,867 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
|  | A cohort of 151 graduates in the earnings cohort accompanies [median earnings of $75,867](/school/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/outcomes/) for Physics graduates at [University of Washington-Seattle Campus](/school/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/majors/) four years after completing. |
| 18 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $75,764 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
|  | [University of Colorado Boulder](/school/university-of-colorado-boulder/majors/) ranks 18th on this list and reports a [median federal debt of $19,306](/school/university-of-colorado-boulder/cost/) among Physics completers who borrowed. |
| 19 | University of Oregon · Eugene, OR | $75,160 | $22,182 | $15,909 | 88.3% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed at [University of Oregon](/school/university-of-oregon/majors/) left with a [median of $20,139](/school/university-of-oregon/outcomes/) in federal loans, while the school ranks 384th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 20 | University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA | $74,410 | $14,304 | $8,852 | 76.4% |
|  | [University of California-Riverside](/school/university-of-california-riverside/majors/) posts [median earnings of $74,410](/school/university-of-california-riverside/outcomes/) for its Physics graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 76%. |
| 21 | Brigham Young University · Provo, UT | $73,747 | $15,564 | $10,444 | 67.8% |
|  | [Brigham Young University](/school/brigham-young-university/majors/), a private nonprofit university in Provo, reports an [average net price of $10,444](/school/brigham-young-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 22 | University of Northern Colorado · Greeley, CO | $73,186 | $17,760 | $12,695 | 85.9% |
|  | University of Northern Colorado ranks 22nd on this list and shows a median federal debt of $23,810 among Physics completers who borrowed. |
| 23 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $70,462 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
|  | [California State University-Long Beach](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/majors/) reports [median earnings of $70,462](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/outcomes/) for its Physics graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $10,440. |
| 24 | Boise State University · Boise, ID | $64,459 | $21,610 | $18,165 | 87.2% |
|  | [Boise State University](/school/boise-state-university/majors/) sits 24th on this page and carries an [average net price of $18,165](/school/boise-state-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 25 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $64,133 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% |
|  | [California State University-Sacramento](/school/california-state-university-sacramento/majors/) reports [median earnings of $64,133](/school/california-state-university-sacramento/outcomes/) for its Physics graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $9,338. |
| 26 | Western Washington University · Bellingham, WA | $63,833 | $21,193 | $12,915 | 93.3% |
|  | [Western Washington University](/school/western-washington-university/majors/) [admits 93% of applicants](/school/western-washington-university/admissions/) and its Physics graduates earned a median of $63,833 four years after completing. |
| 27 | California State University-San Bernardino · San Bernardino, CA | $62,004 | $4,564 | $2,681 | 93.7% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed left [California State University-San Bernardino](/school/california-state-university-san-bernardino/majors/) with a [median of $14,715](/school/california-state-university-san-bernardino/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school's Physics completers earned $62,004 four years after completing. |
| 28 | California State University-San Marcos · San Marcos, CA | $57,318 | $10,229 | $6,230 | 95.1% |
|  | [California State University-San Marcos](/school/california-state-university-san-marcos/majors/) ranks 28th on this list and reports an [average net price of $6,230](/school/california-state-university-san-marcos/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 29 | Central Washington University · Ellensburg, WA | $41,565 | $18,476 | $11,846 | 90.6% |
|  | [Central Washington University](/school/central-washington-university/majors/) sits 339th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with Physics graduates earning a [median of $41,565](/school/central-washington-university/outcomes/) four years after completing. |
| 30 | Idaho State University · Pocatello, ID | $41,025 | $12,193 | $10,593 | Not reported |
|  | With a cohort of 6 graduates, Idaho State University posts median earnings of $41,025 for its Physics completers four years after completing. |
| 31 | Northern Arizona University · Flagstaff, AZ | $37,568 | $14,158 | $9,709 | 89.6% |
|  | [Northern Arizona University](/school/northern-arizona-university/majors/) reports an [admission rate of 90%](/school/northern-arizona-university/admissions/) and an average net price of $9,709 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 32 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Fort Collins, CO | $29,685 | $21,279 | $13,259 | 88.5% |
|  | [Colorado State University-Fort Collins](/school/colorado-state-university-fort-collins/majors/) [ranks 200th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/colorado-state-university-fort-collins/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Physics graduates earned a median of $29,685 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 the West appear. The figure reflects federally aided completers of the Physics program who were working and not enrolled. For 5 of the 32 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 and median below cover the 32 schools with a published figure. Oregon State University leads Whitworth University by a gap of $3,325, and the spread from the top to the bottom of the list is $73,482.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Physics Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-physics-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in the West](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-west/)
-   [Best Physics Programs in the South](/rankings/best-physics-programs-in-the-south/)
-   [Best Physics Programs in the Midwest](/rankings/best-physics-programs-in-the-midwest/)
-   [Best Physics Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-physics-programs-in-the-northeast/)
-   Physical Sciences Colleges in the West