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2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major

955 Ranked Colleges
13,674 Degrees Awarded
$30,500 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 13,674 people earned their degree in physics, making the major the 68th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, physics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $42,960 and had an average of $22,756 in loans still to pay off.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major” ranking, we looked at 955 colleges that offer a degree in physics. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their physics program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Physics Schools

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The physics school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major”.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Physics

1

Out of the 955 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 52 degrees to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full California Institute of Technology Physics Report

2
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Reed College
Portland, Oregon

Out of the 955 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Reed College landed the #2 spot on the list. This small school is located in Portland, Oregon, and it awarded 21 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Reed College Physics Report

3
Harvey Mudd College crest
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harvey Mudd College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 11 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Physics at Harvey Mudd College

4
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Haverford College
Haverford, Pennsylvania

Out of the 955 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Haverford College landed the #4 spot on the list. Haverford is located in Haverford, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Physics at Haverford College

5
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Dillard University
New Orleans, Louisiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Dillard University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major list. Dillard University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New Orleans, Louisiana. It awarded 10 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Physics at Dillard University

6
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Fisk University
Nashville, Tennessee

Fisk University ranked #6 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major list. This small school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 5 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Fisk University Physics Report

7

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. New Mexico Tech is a public institution located in Socorro, New Mexico. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Physics at New Mexico Tech

8
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Coe College
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

With a ranking of #8, Coe College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major list. This small school is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and it awarded 18 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at Coe

9
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Amherst College
Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. Amherst is a private not-for-profit institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Physics at Amherst College

10
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West Virginia Wesleyan College
Buckhannon, West Virginia

With a ranking of #10, West Virginia Wesleyan College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major list. West Virginia Wesleyan is a private not-for-profit institution located in Buckhannon, West Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Physics at West Virginia Wesleyan College

11
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Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa

Grinnell College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. Grinnell College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Grinnell, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 19 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Grinnell Physics Report

12
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Pomona College
Claremont, California

Pomona College ranked #12 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major list. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 15 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Physics at Pomona

13
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Hendrix College
Conway, Arkansas

Hendrix College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. Hendrix College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Conway, Arkansas. It awarded 10 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Hendrix Physics Report

14
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Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

With a ranking of #14, Carleton College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major list. Carleton is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northfield, Minnesota. It awarded 19 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at Carleton

15
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Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio

Kenyon College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major list. This small school is located in Gambier, Ohio, and it awarded 14 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Physics at Kenyon College

16
Hamilton crest
Hamilton College
Clinton, New York

Hamilton College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. Hamilton is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Clinton, New York. It awarded 21 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Physics at Hamilton College

17
Colby crest
Colby College
Waterville, Maine

Colby College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking, coming in at #17. Colby is located in Waterville, Maine and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Colby College Physics Report

18
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Hampden - Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney, Virginia

With a ranking of #18, Hampden - Sydney College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major list. Hampden - Sydney is located in Hampden-Sydney, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 ’s physics degrees to qualified students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at Hampden - Sydney

19
Knox crest
Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College ranked #19 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major list. Knox College is a small school located in Galesburg, Illinois that handed out 11 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Physics at Knox

20
Bates crest
Bates College
Lewiston, Maine

Bates College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. Located in Lewiston, Maine, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 19 degrees to qualified ’s physics students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Physics at Bates

21
McMurray University crest
McMurry University
Abilene, Texas

With a ranking of #21, McMurry University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major list. McMurray University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Abilene, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full McMurray University Physics Report

22
Colorado College crest
Colorado College
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Colorado College ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major list. This small school is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and it awarded 17 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Colorado College Physics Report

23
MIT crest
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. This fairly large school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 116 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Massachusetts Institute of Technology Physics Report

24
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Albion College
Albion, Michigan

Albion College ranked #24 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major list. Albion College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Albion, Michigan. It awarded 12 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Physics at Albion College

25
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Mount Wachusett Community College
Gardner, Massachusetts

Mount Wachusett Community College landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. Mount Wachusett Community College is a small public school situated in Gardner, Massachusetts. It awarded 20 ’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Physics at MWCC

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
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Lawrence University
Appleton, Wisconsin
27
K College crest
Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo, Michigan
28
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Washington & Jefferson College
Washington, Pennsylvania
29
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey
30
31
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University of Rochester
Rochester, New York
32
Monmouth crest
Monmouth College
Monmouth, Illinois
33
Wesleyan U crest
Wesleyan University
Middletown, Connecticut
34
UVI crest
University of the Virgin Islands
Charlotte Amalie, <nil>
35
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Lycoming College
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
36
Southwestern crest
Southwestern University
Georgetown, Texas
37
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts
38
39
Emory & Henry College crest
Emory and Henry College
Emory, Virginia
40
Randolph crest
Randolph College
Lynchburg, Virginia
41
Central crest
Central College
Pella, Iowa
42
43
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Davidson College
Davidson, North Carolina
44
Wells crest
Wells College
Aurora, New York
45
VMI crest
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia
46
CSM crest
College of San Mateo
San Mateo, California
47
Annapolis crest
United States Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland
48
Whitman crest
Whitman College
Walla Walla, Washington
49
Morehouse crest
Morehouse College
Atlanta, Georgia
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools Highly Focused on Physics Major

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 Middlebury College Middlebury, VT
52 Oberlin College Oberlin, OH
53 Roanoke College Salem, VA
54 Ursinus College Collegeville, PA
55 Brown University Providence, RI
56 Union College New York Schenectady, NY
57 Colgate University Hamilton, NY
58 Washington College Chestertown, MD
59 Rice University Houston, TX
60 Napa Valley College Napa, CA
61 Whitworth University Spokane, WA
62 SUNY Geneseo Geneseo, NY
63 Macalester College Saint Paul, MN
64 Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Magnolia, AR
65 Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA
Rank College Location
66 Willamette University Salem, OR
67 Rhodes College Memphis, TN
68 Irvine Valley College Irvine, CA
69 Berry College Mount Berry, GA
70 Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME
71 Austin College Sherman, TX
72 Stanford University Stanford, CA
73 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, SD
74 Mount Holyoke College South Hadley, MA
75 Yale University New Haven, CT
76 Cuyamaca College El Cajon, CA
77 University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA
78 Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, PA
79 Saint Johns University Collegeville, MN
80 Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA
81 Occidental College Los Angeles, CA
82 Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY
83 University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO
84 Wellesley College Wellesley, MA
85 Wofford College Spartanburg, SC
86 Bridgewater College Bridgewater, VA
86 Juniata College Huntingdon, PA
88 Grove City College Grove City, PA
89 University of California - Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA
90 Earlham College Richmond, IN
Rank College Location
91 Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter, MN
92 Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts North Adams, MA
93 Greenville University Greenville, IL
94 Scripps College Claremont, CA
95 Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL
96 Luther College Decorah, IA
97 Wheaton College Illinois Wheaton, IL
98 United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO
99 University of Chicago Chicago, IL
100 St Olaf College Northfield, MN
101 Siena College Loudonville, NY
102 Centre College Danville, KY
103 St Mary’s College of Maryland St. Mary’s City, MD
104 Bethel University Minnesota Saint Paul, MN
105 Wheaton College Massachusetts Norton, MA
106 Birmingham Southern College Birmingham, AL
107 Glendale Community College Glendale, CA
108 University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA
109 Brevard College Brevard, NC
110 Allegheny College Meadville, PA
111 Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA
112 Skyline College San Bruno, CA
113 College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA
114 Norco College Norco, CA
115 Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA
Rank College Location
116 University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CA
117 Westminster College Utah Salt Lake City, UT
118 Marietta College Marietta, OH
119 Berea College Berea, KY
120 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN
121 Alma College Alma, MI
122 Denison University Granville, OH
123 Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
124 University of Arizona Tucson, AZ
125 Moorpark College Moorpark, CA
126 Pitzer College Claremont, CA
127 Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA
128 University of Puerto Rico - Humacao Humacao, PR
129 Carthage College Kenosha, WI
130 Dickinson College Carlisle, PA
131 William & Mary Williamsburg, VA
132 King’s College Wilkes-Barre, PA
133 Gettysburg College Gettysburg, PA
134 University of California - Merced Merced, CA
135 Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY
136 University of Alabama in Huntsville Huntsville, AL
137 Beloit College Beloit, WI
138 Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MA
139 Ave Maria University Ave Maria, FL
140 Laney College Oakland, CA
Rank College Location
141 Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, NE
142 Saint Mary’s College Notre Dame, IN
143 Cornell University Ithaca, NY
144 Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology Terre Haute, IN

Notes and References

References

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