by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual reviewed 22 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for bachelor's degree seekers in the field of physics. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,225 bachelor's degrees in physics during the 2020-2021 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
The physics bachelor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality physics program can vary widely even among the top schools. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of bachelor's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their bachelor's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for physics students working on their bachelor's degree.
When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Physics Bachelor's Degree Schools in California list to help you make the college decision.
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 when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in physics.
Stanford University is a great decision for students pursuing a bachelor's degree in physics. Stanford is a large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Stanford.More information about a bachelor’s in physics from Stanford University
University of California - Los Angeles is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a bachelor's degree in physics. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population.
Those physics students who get their bachelor's degree from University of California - Los Angeles earn $4,712 more than the standard physics student.
More information about a bachelor’s in physics from University of California - Los Angeles
Every student who is interested in a bachelor's degree in physics needs to look into University of California - Berkeley. UC Berkeley is a very large public university located in the city of Berkeley.
Those physics students who get their bachelor's degree from University of California - Berkeley earn $5,724 more than the average physics grad.
More information about a bachelor’s in physics from University of California - Berkeley
University of California - San Diego is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in physics. UCSD is a fairly large public university located in the large city of La Jolla.
Bachelor's recipients from the physics major at University of California - San Diego make $3,371 more than the average college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
More information about a bachelor’s in physics from University of California - San Diego
Located in the suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a very large student population.
Bachelor's recipients from the physics program at University of California - Santa Barbara earn $11,710 more than the average graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
More information about a bachelor’s in physics from University of California - Santa Barbara
UC Irvine is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Irvine.
Bachelor's graduates who receive their degree from the physics program make about $33,381 for their early career.
More information about a bachelor’s in physics from University of California - Irvine
Caltech is a small private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Pasadena.More information about a bachelor’s in physics from California Institute of Technology
Located in the suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a very large student population.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the physics program report average early career earnings of $25,226.
More information about a bachelor’s in physics from University of California - Davis
UC Santa Cruz is a large public university located in the small city of Santa Cruz.
Bachelor's graduates who receive their degree from the physics program earn about $36,552 in their early career salary.
More information about a bachelor’s in physics from University of California - Santa Cruz
CSULB is a very large public university located in the city of Long Beach.
Physics bachelor's degree recipients from California State University - Long Beach earn a boost of about $5,487 above the average income of physics graduates.
More information about a bachelor’s in physics from California State University - Long BeachExplore all the Best Physics Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 226 | 318 |
| Oregon | 185 | 123 |
| Nevada | 129 | 37 |
| Hawaii | 112 | 7 |
| Alaska | 75 | 3 |
Physics is one of 8 different types of Physical Sciences programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Physics | 1,136 |
| Other Physics | 84 |
| Theoretical & Mathematical Physics | 4 |
| Atomic/Molecular Physics | 1 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 1,830 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 585 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 161 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 46 |
| Materials Sciences | 41 |
| General Physical Sciences | 27 |
| Other Physical Science | 14 |
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