Physics Doctor’s Degrees
A doctor’s degree in Physics is offered at 812 colleges in the United States, where you can earn adoctor’s degree in Physics. This degree is more popular with male students, and about16% were students from underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. Also, 45.6% of Physics graduates were international students.
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Education Levels of Physics Majors
In the most recent reporting year, 12,910 students earned theirPhysics majors across all award levels. The following table shows the number of diplomas awarded in Physics at each degree level.
| Education Level | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Associate’s Degree | 1,493 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 7,123 |
| Master’s Degree | 2,380 |
| Doctor’s Degree (this page) | 1,914 |
Earnings of Physics Majors With Doctor’s Degrees (All Award Levels)
The U.S. Department of Education reports a median salary for graduates with adoctor’s degree in Physics of $75,002 four years after graduation. These figures are reported program-wide, across all award levels.
A lot of factors can contribute to this number, such as the location of your workplace and the availability of other perks and bonuses.
| Years After Graduation | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $50,456 |
| 4 years | $75,002 |
| 5 years | $86,291 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker (program-wide, all award levels).
Student Debt (All Award Levels)
The data on debt ranges for Physics majors who have their doctor’s degree is not currently available.
Student Diversity
This degree is more popular with male students. About 77.5% of graduates in this field are men.
| Gender | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Men | 1,483 |
| Women | 431 |
The racial-ethnic distribution of Physics graduates is as follows:
| Race / Ethnicity | Number of Grads | Share |
|---|---|---|
| White | 730 | 38.1% |
| Asian | 108 | 5.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 95 | 5.0% |
| Black or African American | 24 | 1.3% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 1 | 0.1% |
| Two or More Races | 34 | 1.8% |
| Race Unknown | 49 | 2.6% |
| International Students | 873 | 45.6% |
This degree is very popular with international students. Around 45.6% of graduates are in this category.
See the minority definition in the References below.
Most Popular Physics Programs for Doctor’s Degrees
There are 959 colleges that offer a doctor’s degree in Physics. Learn more about the most popular below:
University of California-Santa Barbara tops the list of the most popular schools in the U.S. for Physics majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 213 doctor's degrees in Physics in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
University of California-Berkeley comes in at #2 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Physics. During the most recent year for which we have data, 174 people received their doctor's degree in Physics from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
University of Arizona comes in at #3 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Physics. This school awarded 166 doctor's degrees in Physics in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
University of Washington-Seattle Campus is a popular choice for Physics majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 166 doctor's degrees in Physics in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
New York University comes in at #5 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Physics. This school awarded 157 doctor's degrees in Physics in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Physics here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of Colorado Boulder comes in at #6 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Physics. During the most recent year for which we have data, 152 people received their doctor's degree in Physics from this school. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Physics here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of California-Los Angeles comes in at #7 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Physics. During the most recent year for which we have data, 150 people received their doctor's degree in Physics from this school. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Physics here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
The University of Texas at Austin is a popular choice for Physics majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 133 doctor's degrees in Physics in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Physics here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of Wisconsin-Madison is a popular choice for Physics majors seeking their doctor's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 128 people received their doctor's degree in Physics from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Johns Hopkins University comes in at #10 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Physics. During the most recent year for which we have data, 121 people received their doctor's degree in Physics from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Ohio State University-Main Campus is a popular choice for Physics majors seeking their doctor's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 120 people received their doctor's degree in Physics from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
University of Chicago comes in at #12 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Physics. This school awarded 120 doctor's degrees in Physics in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
University of California-San Diego is a popular choice for Physics majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 117 doctor's degrees in Physics in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Physics here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Harvard University is a popular choice for Physics majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 113 doctor's degrees in Physics in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
University of Rochester comes in at #15 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Physics. During the most recent year for which we have data, 113 people received their doctor's degree in Physics from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor comes in at #16 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Physics. This school awarded 111 doctor's degrees in Physics in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Physics here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of Maryland-College Park comes in at #17 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Physics. During the most recent year for which we have data, 110 people received their doctor's degree in Physics from this school. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Physics here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of Pennsylvania is a popular choice for Physics majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 109 doctor's degrees in Physics in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Physics here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a popular choice for Physics majors seeking their doctor's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 102 people received their doctor's degree in Physics from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
University of California-Irvine is a popular choice for Physics majors seeking their doctor's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 98 people received their doctor's degree in Physics from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Physics Majors to Study
| Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Physics, General | 11,944 |
| Physics, Other | 482 |
| Optics/Optical Sciences | 249 |
| Acoustics | 175 |
| Theoretical and Mathematical Physics | 37 |
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Related Majors
Below are some popular majors similar to Physics that also offer doctor’s degrees.
| Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 19,434 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 7,622 |
| Physical Sciences, General | 2,661 |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 1,580 |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 1,341 |
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 to obtain the percentage of racial-ethnic minorities.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
More about our data sources and methodologies.
