2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Physics
247
Ranked Colleges
1,949
Degrees Awarded
$89,430
Avg Salary
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
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.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,949 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major” ranking analyzed 247 colleges that offered a degree in physics. That schools that top this list have a program in physics in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
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 for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major”.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major”.
Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Physics
Out of the 247 schools in the Schools for a Master’s 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 handed out 8 diplomas to qualified masters’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. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Caltech Physics Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Rochester. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major. Rochester, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 52 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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.
Read full report on Physics at University of Rochester
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brown University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major list. This fairly large school is located in Providence, Rhode Island, and it awarded 30 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Physics at Brown
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major list. Located in Socorro, New Mexico, this small public school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified masters’s physics students in 2020-2021.
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.
Read more about Physics at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Out of the 247 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Princeton University landed the #5 spot on the list. Princeton University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Princeton, New Jersey. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 18 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Physics at Princeton University
With a ranking of #6, Christopher Newport University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major list. CNU is a small public school situated in Newport News, Virginia. It awarded 10 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Physics at Christopher Newport University
With a ranking of #7, Yale University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major list. Yale is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New Haven, Connecticut. It awarded 32 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read more about Physics at Yale
The Graduate Center, CUNY came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. The Graduate Center is a medium-sized school located in New York, New York that handed out 20 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%. 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.
Full The Graduate Center, CUNY Physics Report
Catholic University of America landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. Located in Washington, District of Columbia, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified masters’s physics students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Read full report on Physics at Catholic University of America
University of Oregon did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking, coming in at #10. Eugene, Oregon is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 37 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%.
Read full report on Physics at UO
With a ranking of #11, Texas A&M University - Commerce did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major list. This fairly large school is located in Commerce, Texas, and it awarded 20 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Physics at Texas A&M Commerce
Delaware State University ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major list. Delaware State University is a medium-sized school located in Dover, Delaware that handed out 4 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Physics at Del State
University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school handed out 37 degrees to qualified masters’s physics students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of California - Santa Barbara Physics Report
With a ranking of #14, Carnegie Mellon University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major list. Carnegie Mellon is a fairly large school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that handed out 25 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 Carnegie Mellon
University of Arizona landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. University of Arizona is a large school located in Tucson, Arizona that handed out 54 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Read more about Physics at University of Arizona
With a ranking of #16, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major list. Rapid City, South Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.
Read full report on Physics at SD Mines
Lehigh University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major list. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s physics degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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.
Full Lehigh University Physics Report
Rice University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. Rice is a private not-for-profit institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 9 masters’s 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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physics at Rice University
Appalachian State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking, coming in at #19. Appalachian State is a large school located in Boone, North Carolina that handed out 18 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Appalachian State University Physics Report
With a ranking of #20, University of Colorado Boulder did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major list. Located in Boulder, Colorado, this large public school handed out 33 degrees to qualified masters’s physics students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Colorado Boulder Physics Report
Stanford University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 16 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.
Full Stanford Physics Report
Clarkson University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking, coming in at #22. Clarkson is a small school located in Potsdam, New York that handed out 4 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physics at Clarkson
University of Pennsylvania landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. This large school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 32 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Physics at University of Pennsylvania
With a ranking of #24, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major list. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 7 masters’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Physics at Western Illinois University
Duke University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Physics Major ranking. Duke University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Durham, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 21 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Duke University Physics Report
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