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Best Physics & Physical Sciences Programs 2026

Best physics and physical science programs ranked by salary. See where science graduates earn the most.

25 programs ranked

$39,630 avg salary

22 public schools

View as table

Rank	Program	School	State	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Value Score	Break-Even
1	Physics	University of Arizona	AZ	$66,451	$15,960/yr	91/100	1.9 yr
2	Physics	University of Chicago	IL	$52,578	$18,967/yr	87/100	3.6 yr
3	Physics	University of California-Santa Barbara	CA	$49,863	$13,825/yr	85/100	3 yr
4	Engineering Physics	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	IL	$48,606	$15,201/yr	84/100	3.6 yr
5	Physics	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	IL	$47,882	$15,201/yr	83/100	3.8 yr
6	Chemistry	University of California-Berkeley	CA	$47,449	$13,481/yr	85/100	3.4 yr
7	Chemistry	Iowa State University	IA	$45,450	$18,165/yr	79/100	5.2 yr
8	Physics	University of California-Berkeley	CA	$43,877	$13,481/yr	82/100	4.2 yr
9	Physics	University of California-Los Angeles	CA	$42,865	$12,548/yr	81/100	4.3 yr
10	Chemistry	University of California-Santa Barbara	CA	$40,310	$13,825/yr	77/100	5.9 yr
11	Chemistry	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	IL	$38,970	$15,201/yr	74/100	7.6 yr
12	Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	Indiana University-Bloomington	IN	$36,680	$15,342/yr	69/100	10.3 yr
13	Physics	Florida State University	FL	$36,649	$10,997/yr	73/100	7.6 yr
14	Chemistry	University of Chicago	IL	$36,403	$18,967/yr	65/100	12.7 yr
15	Chemistry	University of Arizona	AZ	$36,057	$15,960/yr	64/100	11.7 yr
16	Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	Boston College	MA	$34,995	$41,704/yr	25/100	34.8 yr
17	Physics	Indiana University-Bloomington	IN	$34,543	$15,342/yr	61/100	15.1 yr
18	Chemistry	University of California-Los Angeles	CA	$34,503	$12,548/yr	67/100	12.3 yr
19	Chemistry	Indiana University-Bloomington	IN	$34,492	$15,342/yr	61/100	15.2 yr
20	Chemistry	University of Georgia	GA	$32,284	$13,816/yr	54/100	27.1 yr
21	Chemistry	Florida State University	FL	$32,261	$10,997/yr	53/100	22.4 yr
22	Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	University of California-Los Angeles	CA	$30,054	$12,548/yr	54/100	1024 yr
23	Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	Iowa State University	IA	$29,313	$18,165/yr	41/100	N/A
24	Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	Florida State University	FL	$29,178	$10,997/yr	52/100	N/A
25	Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	University of Arizona	AZ	$29,042	$15,960/yr	45/100	N/A

Physics

91/100Public

University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ

$66,451 median salary$15,960/yr net cost1.9 yr break-even+122% vs. HS diploma

Physics

87/100

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL

$52,578 median salary$18,967/yr net cost3.6 yr break-even+75% vs. HS diploma

Physics

85/100Public

University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA

$49,863 median salary$13,825/yr net cost3 yr break-even+66% vs. HS diploma

Engineering Physics

84/100Public

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL

$48,606 median salary$15,201/yr net cost3.6 yr break-even+62% vs. HS diploma

Physics

83/100Public

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL

$47,882 median salary$15,201/yr net cost3.8 yr break-even+60% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

85/100Public

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$47,449 median salary$13,481/yr net cost3.4 yr break-even+58% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

79/100Public

Iowa State University · Ames, IA

$45,450 median salary$18,165/yr net cost5.2 yr break-even+52% vs. HS diploma

Physics

82/100Public

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$43,877 median salary$13,481/yr net cost4.2 yr break-even+46% vs. HS diploma

Physics

81/100Public

University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA

$42,865 median salary$12,548/yr net cost4.3 yr break-even+43% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

77/100Public

University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA

$40,310 median salary$13,825/yr net cost5.9 yr break-even+34% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

74/100Public

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL

$38,970 median salary$15,201/yr net cost7.6 yr break-even+30% vs. HS diploma

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

69/100Public

Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN

$36,680 median salary$15,342/yr net cost10.3 yr break-even+22% vs. HS diploma

Physics

73/100Public

Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL

$36,649 median salary$10,997/yr net cost7.6 yr break-even+22% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

65/100

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL

$36,403 median salary$18,967/yr net cost12.7 yr break-even+21% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

64/100Public

University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ

$36,057 median salary$15,960/yr net cost11.7 yr break-even+20% vs. HS diploma

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

25/100

Boston College · Chestnut Hill, MA

$34,995 median salary$41,704/yr net cost34.8 yr break-even+17% vs. HS diploma

Physics

61/100Public

Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN

$34,543 median salary$15,342/yr net cost15.1 yr break-even+15% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

67/100Public

University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA

$34,503 median salary$12,548/yr net cost12.3 yr break-even+15% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

61/100Public

Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN

$34,492 median salary$15,342/yr net cost15.2 yr break-even+15% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

54/100Public

University of Georgia · Athens, GA

$32,284 median salary$13,816/yr net cost27.1 yr break-even+8% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

53/100Public

Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL

$32,261 median salary$10,997/yr net cost22.4 yr break-even+8% vs. HS diploma

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

54/100Public

University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA

$30,054 median salary$12,548/yr net cost1024 yr break-even+0% vs. HS diploma

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

41/100Public

Iowa State University · Ames, IA

$29,313 median salary$18,165/yr net cost+-2% vs. HS diploma

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

52/100Public

Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL

$29,178 median salary$10,997/yr net cost+-3% vs. HS diploma

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

45/100Public

University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ

$29,042 median salary$15,960/yr net cost+-3% vs. HS diploma

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Compare Schools Overall Rankings

Rankings are based on data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Programs are ranked by median earnings 1 year after completion. Data reflects bachelor's degree programs only.