Best Graduate Schools for Physics
The Physics ranking compares universities for graduate study using subject strength and applicant demand. This page shows positions 1–30 from the full ranking. Each position belongs to a university, not an individual degree program. Open a university's program count to see and compare its matching graduate programs. It emphasizes doctoral research, faculty depth and strength across theoretical, experimental and applied physics.
| Rank | University | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs | ||
| 2 | Princeton University | United States |
| 3 | Harvard University | United States |
4 programs | ||
| 4 | Stanford University | United States |
3 programsMaster's Programs | ||
| 5 | University of Chicago | United States |
| 6 | California Institute of Technology | United States |
2 programs | ||
| 7 | University of California, Berkeley | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs | ||
| 8 | University of Oxford | United Kingdom |
8 programs | ||
| 9 | Columbia University | United States |
7 programsDoctoral Programs | ||
| 10 | University of Cambridge | United Kingdom |
5 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs Other Programs | ||
| 11 | The University of Tokyo | Japan |
1 programDoctoral Programs | ||
| 12 | University of Science and Technology of China | China |
| 13 | Peking University | China |
| 14 | Tsinghua University | China |
| 15 | ETH Zurich | Switzerland |
7 programs | ||
| 16 | Yale University | United States |
4 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 17 | University of California--Santa Barbara | United States |
2 programs | ||
| 18 | Cornell University | United States |
4 programsMaster's Programs | ||
| 19 | University of Michigan--Ann Arbor | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs | ||
| 20 | University of California, Los Angeles | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 21 | University of Colorado Boulder | United States |
| 22 | University of Pennsylvania | United States |
2 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 23 | University of Maryland, College Park | United States |
1 programDoctoral Programs | ||
| 24 | University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign | United States |
1 programDoctoral Programs | ||
| 25 | University of Washington | United States |
1 programDoctoral Programs | ||
| 26 | University of Wisconsin--Madison | United States |
4 programs | ||
| 27 | Johns Hopkins University | United States |
3 programs | ||
| 28 | University of Manchester | United Kingdom |
6 programs | ||
| 29 | University of Toronto | Canada |
3 programsDoctoral Programs Master's Programs | ||
| 30 | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | China |
How this ranking is built
Graduate study is a career decision. These subject rankings help applicants compare where a degree may create the strongest long-term value, using evidence that reflects how graduate students actually choose and what they gain from their degrees.
We build subject rankings across 37 disciplines and publish the top 30 universities in each. Each university receives one position in the published table for that subject. That position reflects how the university performs across key ranking components, combined consistently for every institution in scope.
Key ranking components
- Research strengthDepth, quality, and influence of scholarship and faculty in the university or field.
- Employability and career outcomesGraduate placement, employer access, professional standing, alumni networks, and long-term options created by the degree.
- Global engagementInternational reach, cross-border relevance, and breadth of academic and professional networks.
- Learning experienceQuality and breadth of graduate study and the environment in which students learn, collaborate, and develop.
- Applicant demand and revealed preferenceApplication demand and choices admitted applicants make when they hold more than one offer.
Independent expert judgment calibrates the weight given to each component and checks that the resulting order makes sense. There is no one-size-fits-all balance across subjects: research-led fields place more emphasis on academic depth, while professional fields place more emphasis on career outcomes and professional training.
Questions About the Physics Ranking
- What does the Physics ranking measure?
- It compares the strength of graduate study in Physics across universities using key ranking components: research strength; employability and career outcomes; global engagement; learning experience; and applicant demand and revealed preference. Independent expert judgment calibrates the weight given to each component for the field and checks that the resulting order makes sense.
- Does the Physics ranking compare universities or individual programs?
- The ranking compares universities, not individual programs. Each university receives one position based on how its graduate offering in Physics performs across the key ranking components. The programs listed beneath it help you explore your options; they do not receive separate ranks.
- How should I use the Physics ranking to build my shortlist?
- Use it to identify universities worth investigating, then compare the linked programs for academic fit, admissions requirements, deadlines and costs. A higher position should inform your shortlist, not decide it for you.
- Which countries are represented in the Physics ranking?
- United States (20), China (4), United Kingdom (3), Canada (1), Japan (1), and Switzerland (1). The ranking is global and does not use a country quota.
- Are higher-ranked universities usually harder to get into?
- Often, but not always. Applicant demand and revealed preference are only part of the ranking. Research strength, career outcomes, global engagement, learning experience and field-specific calibration also shape the order. Admission standards still vary by degree level, specialization and individual program, even within the same university.
Explore Rankings and Programs
Physics Program Directories
Choose a degree level and country to browse the full program directory.
Doctoral Programs
Master's Programs
Browse Subject Rankings
The complete Grad School Navigator subject ranking directory, grouped by field.