by our College Data Analytics Team
[Physics](/majors/physical-sciences/physics/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The schools below stand out for the salaries their physics graduates go on to command.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the early-career earnings of their physics graduates.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send physics graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked James Madison University the top school for physics graduate earnings in Virginia. Located in the city of Harrisonburg, James Madison University is a public institution. After graduating, physics degree recipients from James Madison University typically earn about $93,914 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earned it the #2 place for physics. Set in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a public institution. Early-career physics graduates from Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University make a median of around $78,349 per year.
Virginia Military Institute came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying physics schools. Set in the town of Lexington, Virginia Military Institute is a public institution. Early-career physics graduates from Virginia Military Institute make a median of around $46,641 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Virginia Commonwealth University earned it the #4 place for physics. Set in the city of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is a public institution. After graduating, physics degree recipients from Virginia Commonwealth University typically earn about $39,804 annually.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their physics graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 4 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.