Best Physics Universities in United States [2026 Rankings]

1

Massachusetts | Cambridge, MA

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

For Physics

#1 in North America #1 in the World

5% Acceptance

4,535 Enrollment

1550 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

2

California | Stanford

Stanford University

For Physics

#2 in North America #2 in the World

4% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

3

California | Berkeley

University of California – Berkeley

For Physics

#3 in North America #3 in the World

11% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

4

Massachusetts | Cambridge, MA

Harvard University

For Physics

#4 in North America #4 in the World

4% Acceptance

1,489 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1636 Founded

5

Michigan | Ann Arbor

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

For Physics

#5 in North America #6 in the World

16% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1445 Avg SAT

1817 Founded

6

Illinois | Champaign

University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign

For Physics

#6 in North America #10 in the World

42% Acceptance

37,140 Enrollment

1415 Avg SAT

1867 Founded

7

California | Pasadena, CA

California Institute of Technology

For Physics

#7 in North America #11 in the World

3% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

8

New York State | Ithaca

Cornell University

For Physics

#8 in North America #12 in the World

9% Acceptance

16,128 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

9

California | Los Angeles

University of California – Los Angeles

For Physics

#9 in North America #13 in the World

9% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

10

Washington | Seattle

University of Washington – Seattle

For Physics

#10 in North America #14 in the World

39% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1315 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

11

New Jersey | Princeton, NJ

Princeton University

For Physics

#12 in North America #17 in the World

5% Acceptance

5,813 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1746 Founded

12

Pennsylvania | University Park, PA

Pennsylvania State University

For Physics

#13 in North America #18 in the World

61% Acceptance

42,604 Enrollment

1330 Avg SAT

1855 Founded

13

Texas | Austin, TX

University of Texas at Austin

For Physics

#14 in North America #19 in the World

27% Acceptance

43,165 Enrollment

1380 Avg SAT

1883 Founded

14

Wisconsin | Madison, WI

University of Wisconsin – Madison

For Physics

#15 in North America #20 in the World

45% Acceptance

38,040 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1848 Founded

15

California | San Diego

University of California-San Diego

For Physics

#16 in North America #23 in the World

27% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

16

Minnesota | Minneapolis

University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

For Physics

#17 in North America #24 in the World

80% Acceptance

15,019 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

17

Georgia, US | Atlanta

Georgia Institute of Technology

For Physics

#18 in North America #27 in the World

14% Acceptance

1,070 Enrollment

1455 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

18

Maryland | College Park

University of Maryland – College Park

For Physics

#19 in North America #28 in the World

45% Acceptance

31,133 Enrollment

1465 Avg SAT

1856 Founded

19

New York State | New York City

Columbia University

For Physics

#20 in North America #32 in the World

4% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1754 Founded

20

Maryland | Baltimore

Johns Hopkins University

For Physics

#21 in North America #34 in the World

6% Acceptance

6,636 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1876 Founded

21

Pennsylvania | Philadelphia

University of Pennsylvania

For Physics

#22 in North America #36 in the World

5% Acceptance

1,947 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1740 Founded

22

Illinois | Evanston

Northwestern University

For Physics

#23 in North America #37 in the World

8% Acceptance

9,399 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

23

California | Santa Barbara

University of California – Santa Barbara

For Physics

#24 in North America #39 in the World

33% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1921 Founded

24

Ohio | Columbus, OH

Ohio State University

For Physics

#25 in North America #40 in the World

61% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1395 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

25

Indiana | West Lafayette

Purdue University

For Physics

#26 in North America #41 in the World

50% Acceptance

44,819 Enrollment

1340 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

26

Connecticut | New Haven

Yale University

For Physics

#27 in North America #44 in the World

4% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1520 Avg SAT

1701 Founded

27

Texas | College Station

Texas A&M University – College Station

For Physics

#28 in North America #47 in the World

57% Acceptance

60,710 Enrollment

1275 Avg SAT

1876 Founded

28

Illinois | Chicago

University of Chicago

For Physics

#29 in North America #48 in the World

4% Acceptance

7,598 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

29

Florida | Gainesville, FL

University of Florida

For Physics

#31 in North America #50 in the World

24% Acceptance

36,573 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

30

Arizona | Tucson

University of Arizona

For Physics

#32 in North America #54 in the World

86% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

31

California | Los Angeles

University of Southern California

For Physics

#33 in North America #58 in the World

10% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1880 Founded

32

California | Davis

University of California – Davis

For Physics

#34 in North America #59 in the World

42% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

33

Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh

Carnegie Mellon University

For Physics

#35 in North America #61 in the World

12% Acceptance

7,377 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1900 Founded

34

New Jersey | New Brunswick, NJ

Rutgers University – New Brunswick

For Physics

#36 in North America #62 in the World

58% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1405 Avg SAT

1766 Founded

35

Colorado | Boulder

University of Colorado Boulder

For Physics

#37 in North America #65 in the World

78% Acceptance

34,096 Enrollment

1335 Avg SAT

1876 Founded

36

North Carolina | Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

For Physics

#40 in North America #71 in the World

15% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1460 Avg SAT

1789 Founded

37

New York State | New York City

New York University

For Physics

#41 in North America #75 in the World

9% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1520 Avg SAT

1831 Founded

38

Arizona | Tempe

Arizona State University – Tempe

For Physics

#42 in North America #78 in the World

90% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

970 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

39

Michigan | East Lansing

Michigan State University

For Physics

#43 in North America #80 in the World

85% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1270 Avg SAT

1855 Founded

40

North Carolina | Durham, NC

Duke University

For Physics

#45 in North America #86 in the World

6% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1838 Founded

41

North Carolina | Raleigh

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

For Physics

#46 in North America #90 in the World

42% Acceptance

28,422 Enrollment

1385 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

42

Iowa State | Ames

Iowa State University

For Physics

#47 in North America #91 in the World

89% Acceptance

25,628 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1858 Founded

43

Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

For Physics

#48 in North America #92 in the World

58% Acceptance

25,900 Enrollment

1370 Avg SAT

1787 Founded

44

Utah | Salt Lake

University of Utah

For Physics

#49 in North America #93 in the World

86% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1850 Founded

45

Virginia | Blacksburg

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

For Physics

#50 in North America #94 in the World

55% Acceptance

31,035 Enrollment

1365 Avg SAT

1872 Founded

46

California | Irvine

University of California – Irvine

For Physics

#51 in North America #104 in the World

29% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

47

Virginia | Charlottesville

University of Virginia

For Physics

#52 in North America #114 in the World

17% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1819 Founded

48

California | San Francisco

University of California – San Francisco

For Physics

#53 in North America #124 in the World

13% Acceptance

2,942 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1864 Founded

49

New York State | Rochester, NY

University of Rochester

For Physics

#54 in North America #127 in the World

40% Acceptance

6,580 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1850 Founded

50

Massachusetts | Boston

Boston University

For Physics

#55 in North America #129 in the World

11% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

51

Missouri | St. Louis

Washington University in St Louis

For Physics

#56 in North America #130 in the World

12% Acceptance

2,256 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

52

New York State | Stony Brook

Stony Brook University

For Physics

#57 in North America #139 in the World

49% Acceptance

18,263 Enrollment

1415 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

53

Texas | Houston, TX

Rice University

For Physics

#58 in North America #146 in the World

8% Acceptance

4,789 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

54

Ohio | Cleveland, OH

Case Western Reserve University

For Physics

#60 in North America #152 in the World

37% Acceptance

6,636 Enrollment

1485 Avg SAT

1826 Founded

55

Tennessee | Knoxville

University of Tennessee – Knoxville

For Physics

#61 in North America #156 in the World

42% Acceptance

30,564 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1794 Founded

56

Massachusetts | Amherst, MA

University of Massachusetts – Amherst

For Physics

#62 in North America #158 in the World

60% Acceptance

17,560 Enrollment

1405 Avg SAT

1863 Founded

57

Rhode Island | Providence

Brown University

For Physics

#64 in North America #166 in the World

5% Acceptance

7,910 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1764 Founded

58

Delaware, US | Newark, DE

University of Delaware

For Physics

#65 in North America #170 in the World

71% Acceptance

20,026 Enrollment

1280 Avg SAT

1743 Founded

59

Iowa State | Iowa City

University of Iowa

For Physics

#68 in North America #175 in the World

84% Acceptance

22,738 Enrollment

1230 Avg SAT

1847 Founded

60

Illinois | Chicago

University of Illinois at Chicago

For Physics

#69 in North America #183 in the World

77% Acceptance

22,495 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1858 Founded

61

Indiana | Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame

For Physics

#70 in North America #188 in the World

11% Acceptance

15,414 Enrollment

1508 Avg SAT

1844 Founded

62

Tennessee | Nashville

Vanderbilt University

For Physics

#72 in North America #200 in the World

6% Acceptance

7,221 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1873 Founded

63

New York State | Buffalo

University at Buffalo

For Physics

#73 in North America #201 in the World

74% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1295 Avg SAT

1846 Founded

64

California | Riverside

University of California – Riverside

For Physics

#75 in North America #217 in the World

76% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1954 Founded

65

Florida | Tallahassee

Florida State University

For Physics

#76 in North America #218 in the World

24% Acceptance

6,768 Enrollment

1340 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

66

Connecticut | Storrs

University of Connecticut

For Physics

#77 in North America #219 in the World

52% Acceptance

20,056 Enrollment

1325 Avg SAT

1881 Founded

67

California | Santa Cruz

University of California – Santa Cruz

For Physics

#78 in North America #221 in the World

66% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

68

Colorado | Fort Collins

Colorado State University – Fort Collins

For Physics

#79 in North America #226 in the World

89% Acceptance

10,813 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

69

Washington | Pullman

Washington State University

For Physics

#80 in North America #228 in the World

87% Acceptance

26,384 Enrollment

1110 Avg SAT

1890 Founded

70

Georgia, US | Athens, GA

University of Georgia

For Physics

#81 in North America #230 in the World

38% Acceptance

3,177 Enrollment

1375 Avg SAT

1785 Founded

71

Texas | Houston, TX

University of Houston

For Physics

#82 in North America #235 in the World

74% Acceptance

39,257 Enrollment

1250 Avg SAT

1927 Founded

72

Kentucky | Lexington, KY

University of Kentucky

For Physics

#83 in North America #236 in the World

93% Acceptance

25,534 Enrollment

1180 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

73

New York State | Troy, NY

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

For Physics

#84 in North America #239 in the World

63% Acceptance

5,741 Enrollment

1443 Avg SAT

1824 Founded

74

Georgia, US | Atlanta

Emory University

For Physics

#85 in North America #244 in the World

11% Acceptance

967 Enrollment

1510 Avg SAT

1836 Founded

75

Louisiana | Baton Rouge

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

For Physics

#86 in North America #251 in the World

73% Acceptance

34,242 Enrollment

1260 Avg SAT

1860 Founded

76

Florida | Orlando

University of Central Florida

For Physics

#87 in North America #257 in the World

40% Acceptance

59,552 Enrollment

1275 Avg SAT

1963 Founded

77

Oregon | Corvallis

Oregon State University

For Physics

#88 in North America #261 in the World

77% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1270 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

78

Minnesota | Rochester, MN

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science

For Physics

#89 in North America #262 in the World

39% Acceptance

1,677 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1972 Founded

79

Missouri | Columbia, MO

University of Missouri – Columbia

For Physics

#90 in North America #266 in the World

78% Acceptance

24,449 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1839 Founded

80

Florida | Coral Gables

University of Miami

For Physics

#91 in North America #269 in the World

19% Acceptance

2,986 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1925 Founded

81

Ohio | Cincinnati

University of Cincinnati

For Physics

#92 in North America #272 in the World

85% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1265 Avg SAT

1819 Founded

82

South Carolina | Columbia, SC

University of South Carolina – Columbia

For Physics

#93 in North America #274 in the World

60% Acceptance

6,768 Enrollment

1270 Avg SAT

1801 Founded

83

Nebraska | Lincoln, NE

University of Nebraska – Lincoln

For Physics

#94 in North America #277 in the World

87% Acceptance

34,096 Enrollment

1214 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

84

New Mexico | Albuquerque

University of New Mexico

For Physics

#95 in North America #281 in the World

95% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1030 Avg SAT

1889 Founded

85

Massachusetts | Boston

Northeastern University

For Physics

#96 in North America #288 in the World

5% Acceptance

17,432 Enrollment

1490 Avg SAT

1898 Founded

86

Pennsylvania | Philadelphia

Drexel University

For Physics

#97 in North America #299 in the World

79% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1340 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

87

Michigan | Detroit

Wayne State University

For Physics

#99 in North America #308 in the World

81% Acceptance

16,012 Enrollment

1165 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

88

Massachusetts | Medford, MA

Tufts University

For Physics

#100 in North America #320 in the World

11% Acceptance

7,126 Enrollment

1515 Avg SAT

1852 Founded

89

South Carolina | Clemson

Clemson University

For Physics

#101 in North America #321 in the World

38% Acceptance

23,401 Enrollment

1325 Avg SAT

1889 Founded

90

Florida | Tampa

University of South Florida

For Physics

#102 in North America #322 in the World

43% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1225 Avg SAT

1956 Founded

91

Indiana | Indianapolis

Indiana University – Purdue University – Indianapolis

For Physics

#103 in North America #337 in the World

76% Acceptance

1,677 Enrollment

1135 Avg SAT

1969 Founded

92

Kansas State | Lawrence, KS

University of Kansas

For Physics

#104 in North America #338 in the World

93% Acceptance

15,019 Enrollment

1185 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

93

Oklahoma State | Norman

University of Oklahoma – Norman

For Physics

#105 in North America #340 in the World

77% Acceptance

23,329 Enrollment

1235 Avg SAT

1890 Founded

94

Maryland | Baltimore

University of Maryland, Baltimore

For Physics

#106 in North America #344 in the World

65% Acceptance

2,500 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1807 Founded

95

Louisiana | New Orleans

Tulane University of Louisiana

For Physics

#107 in North America #352 in the World

14% Acceptance

8,192 Enrollment

1460 Avg SAT

1834 Founded

96

New Hampshire | Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

For Physics

#112 in North America #373 in the World

5% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1769 Founded

97

Alabama | Birmingham, AL

University of Alabama at Birmingham

For Physics

#113 in North America #374 in the World

88% Acceptance

3,485 Enrollment

1330 Avg SAT

1969 Founded

98

Texas | Dallas, TX

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

For Physics

#114 in North America #377 in the World

59% Acceptance

3,680 Enrollment

1330 Avg SAT

1943 Founded

99

Kansas State | Manhattan

Kansas State University

For Physics

#115 in North America #384 in the World

82% Acceptance

34,096 Enrollment

1160 Avg SAT

1863 Founded

100

New York State | Syracuse

Syracuse University

For Physics

#117 in North America #390 in the World

46% Acceptance

14,074 Enrollment

1355 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

100 Best Universities in United States for Physics

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