The List of All U.S. Colleges With a Physics Major

The possibilities are limitless for students with a degree in physics, as this major can lead to career paths varying from teaching in a traditional classroom setting to exploring the ends of the universe with NASA. If you’re interested in pursuing a physics degree in college, keep reading to learn about potential career paths, get tips for admission, and see a complete list of all the colleges in the U.S. that offer a physics major.

Why Should You Study Physics in College?

Physics is a demanding discipline that has historically attracted some of the world’s brightest and most curious minds—including Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, Marie Curie, and Isaac Newton—and has been integral to transformational technologies like television, microwaves, and nuclear weapons. Furthermore, physics has played a critical role in the development of ideas, such as the theory of relativity and the big bang theory, along with the splitting of the atom.

 

At its most basic, physics is the study of matter, motion, space, and time. A discipline that looks at the universe in a broad range of ways, physics covers everything from the smallest structures, like subatomic particles, to enormous systems such as astronomy. Some physicists use math theoretically to explain how the laws govern the universe, while others use physics more tangibly and apply their knowledge of the universe and math in fields like engineering and electronics.

 

One appealing aspect of a degree in physics is that graduates leave college with an assortment of transferable and in-demand skills like problem solving, data analysis, mathematical reasoning, and the ability to communicate complex ideas. These skills make graduates with a degree in physics well suited to positions in mechanical engineering, climatology, aeronautics, research, computing, and energy.

 

While students graduating college with an undergraduate degree in physics will find a receptive job market, many students go on to pursue advanced degrees as well. According to the Society of Physics Students, half of all physics undergrads will pursue a graduate degree and one in six students who receive a bachelor’s degree in physics will earn a Ph.D. in physics or astronomy.

 

Although the majority of physics majors pursuing an advanced degree do so in physics or astronomy, some will seek a degree in fields such as engineering, math, or medicine. The American Institute of Physics also states that students graduating with a degree in physics are among the highest-scoring students on the MCAT and LSAT.

 

The prospects are bright for the 50% of students entering the workforce with their bachelor’s degree in physics. A physics major cracked Business Insider’s list of The 25 Most Valuable College Majors. According to the Business Insider article, people possessing a bachelor’s degree in physics have an average annual income of $100,383 and an unemployment rate of just 2.5%.

How Can You Increase Your Chances of Acceptance?

Students planning on studying physics in college aren’t expected to be Einstein, but they should have a high GPA and rank near the top of their high school class. Students should also demonstrate an aptitude for numbers and a grasp of scientific principles—successfully completing quantitative courses like AP calculus, chemistry, and physics classes all show a willingness to tackle ambitious and challenging coursework. Of course, scoring in the upper percentiles on standardized tests like the SAT and ACT will also be important in getting into the college of your choice.

 

Colleges look for students who show a desire to explore fields of interest outside of the classroom, and the best way for students to convey their interests to colleges is through extracurricular activities. Joining the high school science club or a local astronomy club are easy ways for hopeful physics majors to start filling out their extracurricular resumes. Another way to get the attention of college admissions officials is by participating in a competition like the PhysicsBowl—get started here with our article, Everything You Need to Know About the PhysicsBowl.

 

Colleges are also on the hunt for well-rounded students; afterall, even Einstein took a break to ride his bicycle and to play the violin. Extracurricular activities are an opportunity for students to paint a clearer picture of their interests outside of the classroom, whether it’s sports, art, music, or work in the community.

 

Our Early Advising Program puts 9th and 10th graders on the path toward the college of their choice. Working with our expert advisors, students will clearly define their academic goals and build a roadmap to achieve them—making sure they enroll in the right classes, purposefully pick their extracurricular activities, and stay on track throughout their high school careers.  

 

Our College Strategy Program is for students further along in their high school careers who’ve begun looking at colleges. Using our Chancing Engine, students can create a well-thought-out and researched college list of reach, target, and safety schools with an understanding of their odds of admittance. Taking advantage of our intimate knowledge of the application process, we can even help students make school-specific tweaks to increase their chances of being accepted. 

Which Colleges Have a Physics Major?

If you;ve started your college search and plan on pursuing a degree in physics, we’ve taken the first step of building a college list for you by naming every college and university in the U.S. that offer a physics major below.

 

Abilene Christian University | ACU

Adams State University

Adelphi University

Adrian College

Agnes Scott College

Alabama A&M | AAMU

Alabama A&M University | AAMU

Alcorn State University

Alfred University

Allegheny College

American University

Amherst College

Anderson University (Indiana)

Anderson University (South Carolina)

Andrews University

Angelo State University

Appalachian State University

Aquinas College (Michigan)

Arizona State University | ASU

Arkansas State University | A–State

Arkansas Tech University | ATU

Ashland University

Auburn University

Augsburg University

Augustana College

Augustana University

Augusta University

Austin College

Austin Peay State University | APSU

Azusa Pacific University | APU

Baker University

Baldwin Wallace University | BW

Ball State University | BSU

Bard College

Barnard College

Bates College

Bellevue College

Belmont University

Beloit College

Benedict College

Benedictine College

Benedictine University

Berry College

Bethel University (Minnesota)

Biola University

Bismarck State College | BSC

Bloomsburg University | BloomU

Bob Jones University | BJU

Boise State University | BSU

Boston College | BC

Boston University | BU

Bowdoin College

Bowling Green State University | BGSU

Bradley University

Brandeis University

Brazosport College

Brevard College

Bridgewater State University

Brigham Young University | BYU

Brooklyn College

Brown University

Bryn Mawr College

Bucknell University

Buena Vista University | BVU

Butler University

C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University | LIU Post

California Institute of Technology | Caltech

California Lutheran University | CLU

California Polytechnic State University | Cal Poly

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | Cal Poly Pomona

California State University, Bakersfield | CSU Bakersfield

California State University, Chico | CSU Chico

California State University, Dominguez Hills | CSUDH

California State University, East Bay | CSU East Bay

California State University, Fresno | CSU Fresno

California State University, Fullerton | CSU Fullerton

California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach State

California State University, Los Angeles | Cal State LA

California State University, Northridge | CSUN

California State University, Sacramento | Sacramento State

California State University, San Bernardino | CSUSB

California State University, Stanislaus | Stanislaus State

California State University Channel Islands | CSU Channel Islands

California State University San Marcos | CSUSM

California University of Pennsylvania | Cal U

Calvin College

Cameron University

Canisius College

Carleton College

Carnegie Mellon University | CMU

Carroll College

Carroll University

Carson–Newman University

Carthage College

Case Western Reserve University

Catholic University of America | CUA

Cedarville University

Central Connecticut State University | CCSU

Central Methodist University

Central Michigan University | CMU

Central Washington University | CWU

Centre College

Chapman University

Chatham University

Chicago State University | CSU

Christian Brothers University | CBU

Christopher Newport University | CNU

City College of New York | CCNY

Claremont McKenna College | CMC

Clarion University

Clark Atlanta University | CAU

Clarkson University

Clark University

Clemson University

Cleveland State University | CSU

Coastal Carolina University | Coastal

Coe College

Colby College

Colgate University

College of Charleston

College of St. Benedict | CSB

College of Staten Island | CUNY CSI

College of the Holy Cross | Holy Cross

College of William & Mary | William & Mary

College of Wooster

Colorado College

Colorado Mesa University

Colorado School of Mines | Mines

Colorado State University | CSU

Colorado State University–Pueblo | CSU Pueblo

Columbia University

Concordia College (Minnesota)

Concordia University Irvine

Concordia University Nebraska

Connecticut College

Cornell College

Cornell University

Creighton University

Dartmouth College

Davidson College

Daytona State College

Delaware State University | Del State

Denison University

DePaul University

DePauw University

Dickinson College

Dillard University

Dordt College

Drake University

Drew University

Drexel University

Drury University

Duke University

Duquesne University

Earlham College

East Carolina University | ECU

East Central University | ECU

Eastern Illinois University | EIU

Eastern Michigan University | EMU

Eastern Nazarene College | ENC

Eastern New Mexico University | ENMU

Eastern Washington University | EWU

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | ESU

East Tennessee State University | ETSU

Eckerd College

Edgewood College

Edinboro University

Elizabethtown College | E-town

Elmhurst College

Elon University

Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University

Emory University

Empire State College

Emporia State University

Evergreen State College

Fairfield University

Fisk University

Florida A&M University | FAMU

Florida Atlantic University | FAU

Florida Institute of Technology | Florida Tech

Florida International University | FIU

Florida Memorial University

Florida State University | FSU

Fordham University

Fort Hays State University | FHSU

Francis Marion University

Franklin and Marshall College | F&M

Frostburg State University

Furman University

Geneva College

George Mason University

Georgetown University

George Washington University | GW

Georgia College | GCSU

Georgia Institute of Technology | Georgia Tech

Georgia Southern University

Georgia State University

Gettysburg College

Gonzaga University

Goshen College

Goucher College

Grand Valley State University | GVSU

Greenville University

Grinnell College

Gulf Coast State College | GCSC

Gustavus Adolphus College

Hamilton College

Hamline University

Hampden–Sydney College | H–SC

Hampshire College

Hanover College

Harding University

Hardin–Simmons University | HSU

Harvard University

Harvey Mudd College | HMC

Hastings College

Haverford College

Henderson State University | HSU

Hendrix College

High Point University

Hillsdale College

Hobart and William Smith Colleges | HWS

Hofstra University

Hope College

Houston Baptist University | HBU

Howard University

Humboldt State University | HSU

Hunter College | CUNY Hunter

Illinois Institute of Technology | Illinois Tech

Illinois State University | ISU

Illinois Wesleyan University

Indiana State University | ISU

Indiana University Bloomington | Indiana

Indiana University of Pennsylvania | IUP

Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis | IUPUI

Indiana University South Bend | IU South Bend

Indiana University Southeast | IU Southeast

Iona College

Iowa State University

Ithaca College

Jackson State University | JSU

Jacksonville University

James Madison University | JMU

John Brown University | JBU

John Carroll University | JCU

Johns Hopkins University | JHU

Juniata College

Kalamazoo College

Kansas State University | KSU

Kansas Wesleyan University | KWU

Keene State College

Kennesaw State University | KSU

Kent State University

Kentucky Wesleyan College | KWC

Kenyon College

Kettering University

King’s College

King University

Knox College

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | KU

Lafayette College

Lake Forest College

Lamar University

Lane College

La Salle University

La Sierra University | LSU

Lawrence Technological University | LTU

Lawrence University

Lebanon Valley College | LVC

Lehigh University

Lehman College | CUNY Lehman

Le Moyne College

LeTourneau University | LETU

Lewis & Clark College

Lewis University

Lincoln University (Missouri)

Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)

Lipscomb University

Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania | LHU

Longwood University

Louisiana State University | LSU

Louisiana Tech University | La. Tech

Loyola Marymount University | LMU

Loyola University Chicago

Loyola University Maryland

Loyola University New Orleans

Luther College

Macalester College

Manchester University

Manhattan College

Manhattanville College

Marietta College

Marquette University

Marshall University

Mary Baldwin University | MBU

Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MIT

McMurry University

Mercer University

Mercyhurst University

Merrimack College

Messiah College

Metropolitan State University of Denver | MSU Denver

Miami Dade College | MDC

Miami University

Michigan State University

Michigan Technological University | Michigan Tech

MidAmerica Nazarene University | MNU

Middlebury College

Middle Tennessee State University | MTSU

Midwestern State University

Millersville University of Pennsylvania | MU

Millikin University

Millsaps College

Minnesota State University, Mankato | MNSU

Minnesota State University Moorhead | MSUM

Mississippi College

Mississippi State University | MSU

Missouri Southern State University

Missouri State University | MSU

Missouri University of Science & Technology | Missouri S&T

Missouri Western State University

Montana State University | MSU

Montclair State University | MSU

Morehouse College

Morgan State University

Mount Holyoke College

Muhlenberg College

Murray State University | MSU

Muskingum University

New College of Florida

New England College | NEC

New Jersey Institute of Technology | NJIT

New School

New York Institute of Technology | NYIT

New York University | NYU

Norfolk State University | NSU

North Carolina A&T State University | N.C. A&T

North Carolina Central University | NCCU

North Carolina State University | NC State

North Carolina Wesleyan College

North Dakota State University | NDSU

Northeastern Illinois University | NEIU

Northeastern State University | NSU

Northeastern University

Northern Arizona University | NAU

Northern Illinois University | NIU

Northern Kentucky University

Northern Michigan University | NMU

Northern Vermont University | NVU

Northwestern College

Northwestern Oklahoma State University | NWOSU

Northwestern University

Northwest Missouri State University

Northwest Nazarene University | NNU

Norwich University

Notre Dame of Maryland University | NDMU

Nova Southeastern University | NSU

Oakland University

Oberlin College

Ohio University

Ohio Wesleyan University

Oklahoma Baptist University | OBU

Oklahoma City University | OCU

Oklahoma State University | OSU

Oregon State University | OSU

Otterbein University

Pace University

Pacific Lutheran University | PLU

Pacific University

Peninsula College

Pennsylvania State University | PSU

Pensacola State College

Pepperdine University

Piedmont College

Pittsburg State University | PSU

Pitzer College

Point Loma Nazarene University | PLNU

Pomona College

Portland State University | PSU

Prairie View A&M University | PVAMU

Presbyterian College

Princeton University

Principia College

Providence College

Purdue University

Purdue University Fort Wayne | PFW

Purdue University Northwest | PNW

Queens College, City University of New York | CUNY QC

Queens University of Charlotte

Quincy University

Radford University

Reed College

Regent University

Regis University

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | RPI

Rhode Island College | RIC

Rhodes College

Rice University

Ripon College

Rochester Institute of Technology | RIT

Rockhurst University

Rollins College

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | RHIT

Rowan University

Rutgers University–Camden

Rutgers University–Newark

Rutgers University–New Brunswick | Rutgers

Saginaw Valley State University | SVSU

Saint Joseph’s University | SJU

Saint Louis University | SLU

Saint Mary’s College (Indiana)

Saint Mary’s College of California | St. Mary’s

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota | SMU

Saint Peter’s University

Salisbury University

Samford University

Sam Houston State University | SHSU

San Diego State University | SDSU

San Francisco State University | SF State

San Jose State University | SJSU

Santa Clara University

Sarah Lawrence College

Scripps College

Seattle Pacific University | SPU

Seattle University

Seminole State College of Florida

Seton Hall University

Sewanee: The University of the South | Sewanee

Shawnee State University | SSU

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Simmons College

Skidmore College

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | SRU

Smith College

Sonoma State University | SSU

South Carolina State University | SCSU

South Dakota State University

Southeastern Louisiana University

Southeast Missouri State University | SEMO

Southern Adventist University

Southern Connecticut State University | SCSU

Southern Illinois University Carbondale | SIU

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | SIUE

Southern Methodist University | SMU

Southern Nazarene University | SNU

South Georgia State College

Southwest Baptist University | SBU

Southwestern Christian College | SwCC

Southwestern Oklahoma State University | SWOSU

Southwestern University

Spelman College

Spring Arbor University | SAU

St. Anselm College

St. Bonaventure University

St. Cloud State University | SCSU

St. John’s University

St. John Fisher College

St. Joseph’s University | SJU

St. Lawrence University

St. Mary’s College of Maryland

St. Mary’s University, Texas

St. Michael’s College

St. Olaf College

Stanford University

State University of New York at Cortland | SUNY Cortland

State University of New York at Fredonia | SUNY Fredonia

State University of New York at New Paltz | SUNY New Paltz

State University of New York at Oneonta | SUNY Oneonta

State University of New York at Oswego | SUNY Oswego

State University of New York at Plattsburgh | SUNY Plattsburgh

State University of New York at Potsdam | SUNY Potsdam

Stephen F. Austin State University | SFA

Stetson University

Stevens Institute of Technology

Stonehill College

Suffolk University

Swarthmore College

Syracuse University

Tarleton State University

Taylor University

Temple University

Tennessee Technological University | Tennessee Tech

Texas A&M University–Commerce

Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi

Texas A&M University–Kingsville

Texas Christian University | TCU

Texas Lutheran University | TLU

Texas Southern University | TSU

Texas State University

Texas Tech University | TTU

The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina | The Citadel

The College at Brockport, State University of New York | SUNY Brockport

The College of New Jersey | TCNJ

The Ohio State University | OSU

The State University of New York at Albany | SUNY Albany

The State University of New York at Binghamton | SUNY Binghamton

The State University of New York at Buffalo | SUNY Buffalo

The State University of New York at Geneseo | SUNY Geneseo

The State University of New York at Stony Brook | SUNY Stony Brook

Tougaloo College

Towson University

Transylvania University

Trevecca Nazarene University

Trinity College

Trinity University

Troy University (Alabama)

Truman State University | TSU

Tufts University

Tulane University

Tuskegee University

Union College (Nebraska)

Union College (New York)

Union University

United States Military Academy | Army

United States Naval Academy | Navy

University of Alabama

University of Alabama at Birmingham | UAB

University of Alabama in Huntsville | UAH

University of Alaska Fairbanks | UAF

University of Arizona

University of Arkansas

University of Arkansas at Little Rock | UA Little Rock

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | UAPB

University of California, Berkeley | UC Berkeley

University of California, Davis | UC Davis

University of California, Irvine | UC Irvine

University of California, Los Angeles | UCLA

University of California, Merced | UC Merced

University of California, Riverside | UC Riverside

University of California, San Diego | UCSD

University of California, Santa Barbara | UCSB

University of California, Santa Cruz | UCSC

University of Central Arkansas | UCA

University of Central Florida | UCF

University of Chicago

University of Cincinnati

University of Colorado Boulder | CU Boulder

University of Colorado Colorado Springs | UCCS

University of Colorado Denver | CU Denver

University of Connecticut | UConn

University of Dallas

University of Dayton

University of Delaware

University of Denver

University of Evansville

University of Florida

University of Georgia

University of Hawaii at Hilo | UH Hilo

University of Hawaii at Manoa | UH Manoa

University of Houston

University of Houston–Clear Lake | UHCL

University of Idaho

University of Illinois at Chicago | UIC

University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | UIUC

University of Indianapolis | UIndy

University of Iowa

University of Kansas

University of Kentucky

University of La Verne

University of Louisiana at Lafayette | UL Lafayette

University of Louisville

University of Lynchburg

University of Maine

University of Maryland, Baltimore County | UMBC

University of Maryland, College Park | Maryland

University of Mary Washington | UMW

University of Massachusetts Amherst | UMass Amherst

University of Massachusetts Boston | UMass Boston

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | UMass Dartmouth

University of Massachusetts Lowell | UMass Lowell

University of Memphis

University of Miami

University of Michigan

University of Michigan–Dearborn | UM-D

University of Michigan–Flint | UofM-Flint

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities | Minnesota

University of Minnesota Duluth | UMD

University of Mississippi | Ole Miss

University of Missouri | Mizzou

University of Missouri–Kansas City | UMKC

University of Missouri–St. Louis | UMSL

University of Montana

University of Mount Union

University of Nebraska at Kearney | UNK

University of Nebraska–Lincoln | UNL

University of Nebraska Omaha | UNO

University of Nevada, Las Vegas | UNLV

University of Nevada, Reno

University of New Hampshire | UNH

University of New Mexico | UNM

University of New Orleans | UNO

University of North Alabama | UNA

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | UNC

University of North Carolina at Charlotte | UNC Charlotte

University of North Carolina at Greensboro | UNC Greensboro

University of North Carolina at Wilmington | UNC Wilmington

University of North Dakota | UND

University of Northern Iowa | UNI

University of North Florida | UNF

University of North Georgia | UNG

University of North Texas | UNT

University of Notre Dame

University of Oklahoma

University of Oregon

University of Pennsylvania | UPenn

University of Pittsburgh | Pitt

University of Portland

University of Puget Sound

University of Redlands

University of Rhode Island | URI

University of Richmond

University of Rio Grande

University of Rochester

University of San Diego | USD

University of San Francisco | USF

University of Scranton

University of South Alabama | South

University of South Carolina | USC

University of South Dakota | USD

University of Southern California | USC

University of Southern Indiana | USI

University of Southern Maine | USM

University of Southern Mississippi | Southern Miss

University of South Florida | USF

University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)

University of St. Thomas (Texas)

University of Tampa | UT

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | UTC

University of Texas at Arlington | UT Arlington

University of Texas at Austin | UT Austin

University of Texas at Dallas | UT Dallas

University of Texas at El Paso | UTEP

University of Texas at San Antonio | UTSA

University of Texas at Tyler | UT Tyler

University of the Cumberlands

University of the Pacific

University of the Sciences

University of Toledo

University of Tulsa

University of Utah

University of Vermont | UVM

University of Virginia | UVA

University of Washington

University of West Florida | UWF

University of West Georgia | UWG

University of Wisconsin–La Crosse | UW–La Crosse

University of Wisconsin-Madison | Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee | UWM

University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh | UW Oshkosh

University of Wisconsin–Platteville | UW–Platteville

University of Wisconsin–River Falls | UW–River Falls

University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point | UW–Stevens Point

University of Wisconsin–Whitewater | UW–Whitewater

University of Wyoming

Ursinus College

Utah State University

Utica College

Valdosta State University | VSU

Valparaiso University | Valpo

Vanderbilt University

Villanova University

Virginia Commonwealth University | VCU

Virginia Military Institute | VMI

Virginia Tech

Wabash College

Wagner College

Wake Forest University

Walla Walla University

Washington and Jefferson College | W&J

Washington and Lee University

Washington College

Washington State University | WSU

Washington University in St. Louis | WashU

Wayne State University | WSU

Weber State University

Wellesley College

Wesleyan University

West Chester University | WCUPA

Western Illinois University | WIU

Western Kentucky University | WKU

Western Michigan University | WMU

Western Washington University | WWU

Westminster College (Missouri)

Westminster College (Pennsylvania)

Westminster College (Utah)

Westmont College

West Texas A&M University | WTAMU

West Virginia University | WVU

West Virginia Wesleyan College

Wheaton College (Illinois)

Wheaton College (Massachusetts)

Whitman College

Whitworth University

Wichita State University | WSU

Widener University

Wilkes University

Willamette University

Williams College

Winona State University | WSU

Wisconsin Lutheran College | WLC

Wofford College

Worcester Polytechnic Institute | WPI

Wright State University

Xavier University

Xavier University of Louisiana

Yale University

Yeshiva University

York College, City University of New York | CUNY York

Youngstown State University

 

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