College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Physics in Illinois

32 Ranked Colleges
325 Degrees Awarded
$48,413 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor's

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

Across Illinois, there were 483 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $48,413 and $21,886 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 325 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,117 and $25,584 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 32 colleges that offer a degree in physics. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in physics.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Physics Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 “Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s”.

1
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 32 schools in the Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #1 spot on the list. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 65 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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. 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%.

Full University of Chicago Physics Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 63 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Physics at UIUC

3

Out of the 32 schools in the Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Illinois State University landed the #3 spot on the list. Illinois State University is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s 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%.

Read more about Physics at Illinois State

4
Loyola Chicago crest
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Loyola University Chicago. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 21 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Loyola Chicago Physics Report

5
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 18 students 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Physics at Northwestern University

6
Wheaton College Illinois crest
Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is located in Wheaton, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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%.

Full Wheaton College Illinois Physics Report

7
Lewis crest
Lewis University
Romeoville, Illinois

Lewis University ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Romeoville, Illinois, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Lewis University Physics Report

8
Knox crest
Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #8. Knox College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Galesburg, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 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 Knox College

9
Elmhurst crest
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Elmhurst, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 8 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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 more about Physics at Elmhurst

9
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #9. DePaul University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 8 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at DePaul University

9

University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #9. University of Illinois at Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 University of Illinois at Chicago Physics Report

12
Columbia crest
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking. Columbia is a medium-sized school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 7 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Columbia Physics Report

12
Monmouth crest
Monmouth College
Monmouth, Illinois

Monmouth College ranked #12 on this year’s Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Monmouth College is a small school located in Monmouth, Illinois that handed out 7 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Physics at Monmouth College

14
Illinois Wesleyan crest
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, Illinois

Illinois Wesleyan University ranked #14 on this year’s Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Illinois Wesleyan University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bloomington, Illinois. It awarded 6 bachelors’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 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at Illinois Wesleyan

14

Illinois Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Illinois Institute of Technology Physics Report

14
EIU crest
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University ranked #14 on this year’s Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Charleston, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s physics degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.

Full EIU Physics Report

17

Western Illinois University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Macomb, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Physics at WIU

17
North Central crest
North Central College
Naperville, Illinois

North Central College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking. North Central is located in Naperville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

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%.

Full North Central College Physics Report

17
Greenville crest
Greenville University
Greenville, Illinois

With a ranking of #17, Greenville University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Greenville is located in Greenville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.9% 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%.

Read full report on Physics at Greenville University

20
Lake Forest crest
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois

With a ranking of #20, Lake Forest College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Lake Forest, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 4 degrees to qualified bachelors’s physics students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at Lake Forest

21

Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 3 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Physics at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

21
Illinois College crest
Illinois College
Jacksonville, Illinois

Illinois College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #21. Illinois College is located in Jacksonville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s physics degrees to qualified students.

Full Illinois College Physics Report

21
CSU crest
Chicago State University
Chicago, Illinois

Chicago State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #21. Chicago State University is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 3 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

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 full report on Physics at CSU

21
Augustana crest
Augustana College
Rock Island, Illinois

Augustana College landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking. Augustana is a small school located in Rock Island, Illinois that handed out 3 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, 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 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Physics at Augustana College

21

With a ranking of #21, Northeastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Physics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Northeastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 3 bachelors’s physics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Physics at Northeastern Illinois University

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options