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.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying physics schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send physics graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
University Of Arizona tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying physics schools in Arizona. University Of Arizona is a public school located in the city of Tucson. Students who complete the physics program here go on to a median salary of roughly $129,989.
Strong graduate earnings at Arizona State University earned it the #2 place for physics. Located in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a public institution. After graduating, physics degree recipients from Arizona State University typically earn about $73,544 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in physics will find them at Arizona State University Skysong, which ranked #3. Arizona State University Skysong is a public school located in the city of Scottsdale. Physics graduates of Arizona State University Skysong earn a median of about $73,544 a year early in their careers.
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 · 3 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.