by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2024, College Factual analyzed 20 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Physics Master's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 345 master's degrees in physics during the 2020-2021 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The physics master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we include a college's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a collection of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their master's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for physics students working on their master's degree.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Physics Master's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.
Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for physics students seeking a a master's degree.
Every student who is interested in a master's degree in physics needs to check out Stanford University. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a master’s in physics from Stanford University
It's difficult to beat University of California - Berkeley if you wish to pursue a master's degree in physics. Located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in physics from University of California - Berkeley
University of California - Los Angeles is a great choice for students pursuing a master's degree in physics. UCLA is a very large public university located in the city of Los Angeles.More information about a master’s in physics from University of California - Los Angeles
University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a good decision for students pursuing a master's degree in physics. UW Seattle is a very large public university located in the city of Seattle.More information about a master’s in physics from University of Washington - Seattle Campus
UCSB is a very large public university located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara.More information about a master’s in physics from University of California - Santa Barbara
Located in the midsize city of Pasadena, Caltech is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.More information about a master’s in physics from California Institute of Technology
UC Davis is a very large public university located in the suburb of Davis.More information about a master’s in physics from University of California - Davis
Located in the city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in physics from University of California - Irvine
Located in the large city of Long Beach, CSULB is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in physics from California State University - Long Beach
Located in the small city of Santa Cruz, UC Santa Cruz is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in physics from University of California - Santa Cruz
Explore the best physics colleges for a specific state in the Far Western US Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| California | 253 | 253 |
| Washington | 183 | 40 |
| Oregon | 158 | 46 |
| Nevada | 105 | 4 |
| Hawaii | 85 | 2 |
| Alaska | 52 | 0 |
One of 8 majors within the Physical Sciences area of study, Physics has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Physics | 297 |
| Other Physics | 48 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 356 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 325 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 64 |
| Materials Sciences | 53 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 47 |
| General Physical Sciences | 13 |
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