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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

$40,518 avg salary

21 public schools

View as table

Rank	Program	School	State	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Value Score	Break-Even
1	Engineering Physics	Ohio State University-Main Campus	OH	$62,238	$17,339/yr	92/100	2.4 yr
2	Physics	University of Chicago	IL	$52,578	$14,860/yr	88/100	2.9 yr
3	Chemistry	University of California-Berkeley	CA	$47,449	$13,481/yr	85/100	3.4 yr
4	Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	NY	$46,292	$33,139/yr	59/100	8.7 yr
5	Physics	University of Wisconsin-Madison	WI	$45,916	$16,928/yr	82/100	4.7 yr
6	Physics	Ohio State University-Main Campus	OH	$45,021	$17,339/yr	81/100	5.1 yr
7	Physics	University of California-Berkeley	CA	$43,877	$13,481/yr	82/100	4.2 yr
8	Physics	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	NC	$43,015	$12,983/yr	81/100	4.4 yr
9	Astronomy and Astrophysics	The University of Texas at Austin	TX	$42,770	$19,857/yr	77/100	6.8 yr
10	Physics	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	MI	$42,728	$13,138/yr	81/100	4.7 yr
11	Physics	The University of Texas at Austin	TX	$42,452	$19,857/yr	77/100	7 yr
12	Physics	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	NY	$42,448	$33,139/yr	51/100	11.3 yr
13	Chemistry	The University of Texas at Austin	TX	$40,785	$19,857/yr	75/100	8.1 yr
14	Chemistry	Ohio State University-Main Campus	OH	$40,658	$17,339/yr	76/100	7.2 yr
15	Chemistry	University of Wisconsin-Madison	WI	$38,140	$16,928/yr	72/100	9.2 yr
16	Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	Michigan State University	MI	$36,979	$20,751/yr	59/100	13.1 yr
17	Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	Indiana University-Bloomington	IN	$36,680	$16,264/yr	68/100	10.8 yr
18	Chemistry	University of Chicago	IL	$36,403	$14,860/yr	71/100	10.1 yr
19	Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	University of Wisconsin-Madison	WI	$34,941	$16,928/yr	62/100	15.2 yr
20	Physics	Indiana University-Bloomington	IN	$34,543	$16,264/yr	60/100	15.9 yr
21	Chemistry	Indiana University-Bloomington	IN	$34,492	$16,264/yr	59/100	16.1 yr
22	Chemistry	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	NC	$32,313	$12,983/yr	55/100	24.7 yr
23	Chemistry	University of Georgia	GA	$32,284	$13,816/yr	54/100	27.1 yr
24	Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	The University of Texas at Austin	TX	$29,853	$19,857/yr	40/100	N/A
25	Chemistry	Wayne State University	MI	$28,106	$14,773/yr	46/100	N/A

Engineering Physics

92/100Public

Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH

$62,238 median salary$17,339/yr net cost2.4 yr break-even+107% vs. HS diploma

Physics

88/100

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL

$52,578 median salary$14,860/yr net cost2.9 yr break-even+75% 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

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

59/100

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · Troy, NY

$46,292 median salary$33,139/yr net cost8.7 yr break-even+54% vs. HS diploma

Physics

82/100Public

University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI

$45,916 median salary$16,928/yr net cost4.7 yr break-even+53% vs. HS diploma

Physics

81/100Public

Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH

$45,021 median salary$17,339/yr net cost5.1 yr break-even+50% 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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, NC

$43,015 median salary$12,983/yr net cost4.4 yr break-even+43% vs. HS diploma

Astronomy and Astrophysics

77/100Public

The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX

$42,770 median salary$19,857/yr net cost6.8 yr break-even+43% vs. HS diploma

Physics

81/100Public

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI

$42,728 median salary$13,138/yr net cost4.7 yr break-even+42% vs. HS diploma

Physics

77/100Public

The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX

$42,452 median salary$19,857/yr net cost7 yr break-even+42% vs. HS diploma

Physics

51/100

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · Troy, NY

$42,448 median salary$33,139/yr net cost11.3 yr break-even+41% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

75/100Public

The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX

$40,785 median salary$19,857/yr net cost8.1 yr break-even+36% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

76/100Public

Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH

$40,658 median salary$17,339/yr net cost7.2 yr break-even+36% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

72/100Public

University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI

$38,140 median salary$16,928/yr net cost9.2 yr break-even+27% vs. HS diploma

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

59/100Public

Michigan State University · East Lansing, MI

$36,979 median salary$20,751/yr net cost13.1 yr break-even+23% vs. HS diploma

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

68/100Public

Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN

$36,680 median salary$16,264/yr net cost10.8 yr break-even+22% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

71/100

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL

$36,403 median salary$14,860/yr net cost10.1 yr break-even+21% vs. HS diploma

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

62/100Public

University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI

$34,941 median salary$16,928/yr net cost15.2 yr break-even+16% vs. HS diploma

Physics

60/100Public

Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN

$34,543 median salary$16,264/yr net cost15.9 yr break-even+15% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

59/100Public

Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN

$34,492 median salary$16,264/yr net cost16.1 yr break-even+15% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

55/100Public

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, NC

$32,313 median salary$12,983/yr net cost24.7 yr break-even+8% 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

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

40/100Public

The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX

$29,853 median salary$19,857/yr net cost+0% vs. HS diploma

Chemistry

46/100Public

Wayne State University · Detroit, MI

$28,106 median salary$14,773/yr net cost+-6% 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.