by our College Data Analytics Team
[Physics](/majors/physical-sciences/physics/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The highest-paying schools turn a physics degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find where physics graduates earn the most.
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Below are the schools whose physics graduates go on to earn the most.
For graduate earnings in physics, no school beat University Of Arizona this year. Located in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a public institution. Early-career physics graduates from University Of Arizona make a median of around $92,526 per year.
Texas State University San Marcos came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying physics schools. Texas State University San Marcos is a public school located in the city of San Marcos. Physics graduates of Texas State University San Marcos earn a median of about $101,450 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in physics will find them at The University Of Texas At Austin, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a public institution. After graduating, physics degree recipients from The University Of Texas At Austin typically earn about $92,183 annually.
Texas Tech University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying physics schools. Texas Tech University is a public school located in the city of Lubbock. Physics graduates of Texas Tech University earn a median of about $57,435 a year early in their careers.
Texas A And M University College Station produces some of the highest-paid graduates in physics, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a public institution. Students who complete the physics program here go on to a median salary of roughly $53,329.
The University Of Texas At Arlington ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying physics schools. The University Of Texas At Arlington is a public school located in the city of Arlington. Students who complete the physics program here go on to a median salary of roughly $79,646.
Arizona State University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying physics schools. Arizona State University is a public school located in the city of Tempe. Physics graduates of Arizona State University earn a median of about $73,544 a year early in their careers.
Arizona State University Skysong landed the #8 spot for physics salaries this year. Arizona State University Skysong is a public school located in the city of Scottsdale. Early-career physics graduates from Arizona State University Skysong make a median of around $73,544 per year.
The University Of Texas At San Antonio ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying physics schools. Located in the city of San Antonio, The University Of Texas At San Antonio is a public institution. After graduating, physics degree recipients from The University Of Texas At San Antonio typically earn about $36,328 annually.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries physics graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 9 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.