Bachelor’s Degrees in Physics
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Education Levels of Physics Majors
In 2020-2021, 8,290 bachelor's degrees were awarded to physics majors. This earns it the #62 spot on the list of the most popular bachelor's degree programs in the nation.
The following table shows the number of diplomas awarded in physics at each degree level.
| Education Level | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 8,290 |
| Master’s Degree | 1,949 |
| Doctor’s Degree | 1,752 |
| Associate Degree | 1,630 |
| Basic Certificate | 27 |
| Graduate Certificate | 26 |
Earnings of Physics Majors With Bachelor’s Degrees
The median salary for graduates holding a bachelor's degree in physics is $38,470. A lot of factors can contribute to this number, such as the location of your workplace and the availability of other perks and bonuses. A better approximation of salary is to look at the typical range of salaries. In this case the low is $33,529 and the high is $43,877.
Student Debt
The median student debt for graduates holding a bachelor's degree in physics is $23,500. The length of time it takes you to graduate and what college you attend can affect this number quite a bit. The chart below shows the range of accumulated debt loads. On the high side of the range, $25,628 is the debt load, and the debt load on the low side is $20,248.
The median monthly payment of a physics graduate with a 10-year repayment plan is $456.
Student Diversity
More men than women pursue bachelor's degrees in physics. About 75.5% of graduates in this field are male.
| Gender | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Men | 6,257 |
| Women | 2,033 |
The racial-ethnic distribution of physics bachelor’s degree students is as follows:
| Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Asian | 652 |
| Black or African American | 270 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 957 |
| White | 4,802 |
| International Students | 979 |
| Other Races/Ethnicities | 630 |
Most Popular Physics Programs for Bachelor’s Degrees
There are 779 colleges that offer a bachelor’s degree in physics. Learn more about the most popular 20 below:
University of Washington - Seattle Campus tops the list of the most popular school in the U.S. for physics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree. Roughly 48,100 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $10,927 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $16,605 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 195 people received their bachelor's degree in physics from UW Seattle. Of these students, 21% were women and 28% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
University of California - Santa Barbara is the 2nd most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in physics. Each year, around 26,100 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,442 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,442 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 151 people received their bachelor's degree in physics from UCSB. About 11% of this group were women, and 31% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
The 3rd most popular school in the country for physics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of California - Berkeley. Roughly 42,300 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,442 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,442 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 129 people received their bachelor's degree in physics from UC Berkeley. About 25% of this group were women, and 43% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
The University of Texas at Austin is the 4th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in physics. Each year, around 50,400 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,752 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,050 per year. For the 2020-2021 academic year, 94 bachelor's degrees were handed out to physics majors at UT Austin. About 29% of this group were women, and 60% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
University of Colorado Boulder is the 4th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in physics. Roughly 37,400 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $10,806 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,168 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 94 people received their bachelor's degree in physics from CU - Boulder. Of these students, 15% were women and 18% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
University of California - Irvine is the 6th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in physics. Each year, around 36,300 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,442 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,442 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 93 people received their bachelor's degree in physics from UC Irvine. Around 49% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 15% were women.
University of Maryland - College Park is the 7th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in physics. Each year, around 40,700 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $9,000 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $15,360 per year. The physics program at University of Maryland - College Park awarded 81 bachelor's degrees during the 2020-2021 school year. Around 23% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 21% were women.
University of California - Los Angeles is the 8th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in physics. Roughly 44,500 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,442 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,442 per year. For the 2020-2021 academic year, 79 bachelor's degrees were handed out to physics majors at UCLA. Of these students, 20% were women and 34% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology comes in at #9 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in physics. Roughly 11,200 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $55,510 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $55,510 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 76 people received their bachelor's degree in physics from MIT. Of these students, 33% were women and 47% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 10th most popular school in the country for physics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of California - Santa Cruz. Each year, around 19,100 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,442 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,442 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 75 people received their bachelor's degree in physics from UC Santa Cruz. Of these students, 21% were women and 40% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Ohio State University - Main Campus is the 11th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in physics. Roughly 61,300 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,018 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,560 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 66 people received their bachelor's degree in physics from Ohio State. Of these students, 11% were women and 12% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 12th most popular school in the country for physics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of Arizona. Each year, around 45,600 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $10,990 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,106 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 65 people received their bachelor's degree in physics from University of Arizona. About 37% of this group were women, and 31% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
The 12th most popular school in the country for physics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of Chicago. Roughly 17,800 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $59,256 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $62,640 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 65 people received their bachelor's degree in physics from UChicago. Of these students, 26% were women and 34% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities comes in at #12 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in physics. Each year, around 52,000 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $13,532 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $17,844 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 65 people received their bachelor's degree in physics from UMN Twin Cities. Of these students, 15% were women and 9% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Stony Brook University comes in at #15 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in physics. Roughly 26,700 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $7,070 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,310 per year. For the 2020-2021 academic year, 64 bachelor's degrees were handed out to physics majors at SUNY Stony Brook. Around 38% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 17% were women.
The 16th most popular school in the country for physics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Each year, around 52,600 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $14,446 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $14,635 per year. The physics program at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign awarded 63 bachelor's degrees during the 2020-2021 school year. About 22% of this group were women, and 17% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
The 16th most popular school in the country for physics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. Each year, around 47,900 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $16,865 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $24,902 per year. The physics program at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor awarded 63 bachelor's degrees during the 2020-2021 school year. Of these students, 24% were women and 21% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 18th most popular school in the country for physics majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is University of Massachusetts Amherst. Roughly 31,600 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $15,791 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $14,014 per year. The physics program at University of Massachusetts Amherst awarded 61 bachelor's degrees during the 2020-2021 school year. About 25% of this group were women, and 18% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Pennsylvania State University - University Park comes in at #19 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in physics. Roughly 89,800 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $15,400 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $23,189 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 59 people received their bachelor's degree in physics from Penn State University Park. About 22% of this group were women, and 17% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
New York University comes in at #20 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in physics. Each year, around 52,700 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $53,770 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $35,982 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 56 people received their bachelor's degree in physics from NYU. Around 34% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 23% were women.
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Related Majors
Below are some popular majors that are similar to physics that offer bachelor’s degrees.
| Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 14,951 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 5,119 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 979 |
| Atmospheric Sciences | 755 |
| General Physical Sciences | 320 |
References
*The racial-ethnic minority student count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the percentage of racial-ethnic minorities.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Image Credit: By A. T. Service under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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