### SUMMARY

 Choosing to study Applied Physics is a valuable choice and often a needed first step for scholars hoping to enter a career as an integration engineer, an applied medical physicist, or an aeronautical engineer. Interestingly, applied physics is an uncommon major being the 249th most popular major. Last year, there were 683 applied physics graduates. In-state tuition for applied physics at private colleges is, on average, 3.6 times more expensive than their public peers.

 With just 117 colleges having programs for this degree you may have limited options as to the institutions which will have a degree program for you. If you are looking to surround yourself with other applied physics students, look at schools in Illinois which have more undergraduates admitted to applied physics than any other state. More generally, the best region to major in applied physics is in the Great Lakes region with [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign](/colleges/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign), [Ohio State University-Main Campus](/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus), and [University of Wisconsin-Platteville](/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-platteville) best representing the region. Interestingly, our selection for the top conference to major in applied physics is the Big Ten Conference with [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign](/colleges/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign), [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor), and [Ohio State University-Main Campus](/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus) representing the conference. That being said, our choice for the best college for applied physics is [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york), and here you can find our comprehensive list for the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The best school is not necessarily the 'best' school for every student. There can be tons of facets to think about when deciding on ​university. Features like campus amenities, transportation services, and food might modify your choice on which college to attend. At Authority, we've examined the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you are intrigued by which applied physics university is home to the top campus, the answer is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university). If you are very interested in which college boasts the finest campus, we have an entire page [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through professor reviews, student reviews, government databases, and more in order to compare each major in an unbiased and informative way. You can find our well researched list for the universities with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbsphere and from that list, our selection of the university with the best student life for applied physics is [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university). Curious why? Continue reading to find out more about Authority's top choices. Some of our picks might shock you.

 If cost is a significant deciding factor in your choice of where you attend college, you might be cautious about [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york). [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york)&nbspappears to be the most expensive school for applied physics, at least for out of state enrollment. We do have an entire list of the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspschools that might put the cost at [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york)&nbspinto perspective. For more context, you could want to know that applied physics is the 124th most expensive degree in the United States, with an average expense of $36,400. On a broader scale, the most expensive state for applied physics in the nation is New York with expenses at the main three universities of $57,763 at Columbia University in the City of New York, equalling $56,550 at Cornell University, and tuition and fees of $56,550 at Fordham University. To zoom out even further, the most expensive region for applied physics is the Mid East region which is best demonstrated with [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york) with a cost of $57,763, [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university) with a cost of $56,550, and [Fordham University](/colleges/fordham-university) with a cost of $52,980.

 Our cheapest region for applied physics is the Southwest region which is represented by [University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus](/colleges/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus) with a cost of $20,169 and [Stephen F Austin State University](/colleges/stephen-f-austin-state-university) with a cost of $16,224. On the bright side, the most affordable university for applied physics is [University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus](/colleges/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus). Authority.org's full list of the most affordable colleges can be found [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state attendees can anticipate paying in the neighborhood of $12,600 for a degree in applied physics. The price increases substantially to an average of $31,000 for the out-of-state public-school student. As such, you might be interested in our pick for the university representing the best value for applied physics: [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university). Through this link you can find our comprehensive list for the schools we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspin general. With that said, this list is predicated on out-of-state tuition costs. A discussion of value changes when in-state tuition costs are considered, but we do not know where you live (and are not trying to collect that kind of data).

 Earnings for applied physics majors can cover a wide range, but two-years after completing the major students will regularly make in the neighborhood of $72,800. While there is a lot of variation in earnings potential; top earners can rake in up to $129,500. Even right out of university, the minimum earning opportunities within the applied physics field earn $41,100, which isn't that bad. The highest earning grads from applied physics graduated from [Colorado School of Mines](/colleges/colorado-school-of-mines)&nbspand if you are looking for colleges with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), we have that too.

 The prevailing diversity of applied physics ranks subpar, arriving in the 50th percentile of majors nationally. The college with the highest composite diversity for applied physics is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university)&nbspand here you can find our general list for the schools which have the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The financial diversity of Applied Physics only is in the 11th percentile compared to all other majors. Racial diversity is actually above financial diversity, in the 47th percentile. White collegians compose the largest share, 63%, of students majoring in applied physics. Additionally, 79% of students seeking an applied physics major are men.

 The median score for applied physics professors is 4.5 stars, a ranking that is 13% above the median for every major; this is a pretty good score. If you are interested in the most popular applied physics instructor in the country, consider looking up Phillip Schlosser at [Ohio State University-Main Campus](/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus). It might come as a shock, but the highest ranked applied physics professors according to students are at [Ohio State University-Main Campus](/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus). If we incorporate data other than simply rankings it becomes clear that the college with the best professors for applied physics is [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york). One will find more detail on our evolving ranking methodology of the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), as well as some of the finest examples of professors in the country.

 Finally, the most difficult university to get into for applied physics is [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york). While we do not necessarily see the value in it, we do have a comprehensive list for the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). But, here at Authority we do hope you understand that considering university with context only derived from superlatives can create issues. We hope you read our more focused pages on different topics and read a couple of our background pages on beneficial things to consider as your school search continues.



 ### POPULARITY

 Applied physics is the 249th most popular degree in America, with 683 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #250 [Genetics](/rankings/best-colleges-for-genetics), and narrowly lost to #248 [Musical Theatre](/rankings/best-colleges-for-musical-theatre).

 The degree is offered at a total of 117 colleges across the nation, and is the 143rd most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 19% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that something like three eighths of colleges offering applied physics are public making it a relatively inaccessible field.

 The great lakes produces the most applied physics graduates, largely led by [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign](/colleges/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign), while it’s the Big Ten Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, Illinois ranks highest, with particular help from [Augustana College](/colleges/augustana-college) and [University of Illinois at Chicago](/colleges/university-of-illinois-at-chicago).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more applied physics graduates than [University of California-Davis](/colleges/university-of-california-davis), which graduated 85 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study applied physics). More students studied applied physics as a percentage of total students at [Colorado School of Mines](/colleges/colorado-school-of-mines) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Applied physics is the 124th most expensive major in America, with a median cost of $36,408 for the top 50 programs (just ahead of #125, [Archeology](rankings/best-colleges-for-archeology), with a median cost of $36,300).

 The Mid East has the most expensive schools with top 50 applied physics programs predominantly led by [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york) with an annual cost of $58,920. New York is the most expensive state for applied physics also led by [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york) and [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university).

 Public schools with good programs generally charge 72.05% less than private schools for in-state students. When looking at out-of-state tuition however, the median top 50 Public school charges 31.18% less than your average private school. So make sure to look into public shools in your state as soon as possible.

 The most expensive top 25 college for applied physics is [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york), which is the 3rd most expensive college in the nation. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Eastern Michigan University](/colleges/eastern-michigan-university). It costs just $13,658 per year and is its applied physics program is ranked #32. If you’re looking for a higher ranked, but still affordable option, [University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus](/colleges/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus)  might be right for you, ranked #22 with an in-state cost of just $4,788. Another more affordable choice would be #24, [University of Kansas](/colleges/university-of-kansas) in Douglas County, KS with a cost of $10,092 for in-state students and $26,960 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Paying for college is a serious investment for most students. It's critical to have confidence you enlarge your earning potential. Therefore, we hope the following income and job placement stats help you make a well informed decision when selecting your major.

 Fresh out of college, Applied Physics students bring in $58,998 per annum on average (top 13%). With experience in their work lives, they normally take home something between $41,094 and $129,486, but average around $72,800. To put it in context, that's 88% more than the American average.

 The most popular job for an Applied Physics graduate is Engineer, which for the most part earn roughly $59,000; next are Senior Software Engineer and Software Engineer, which often earn close to $82,000 and $65,000 respectively.

 The highest grossing region for Applied Physics graduates is The Great Lakes. WI has the highest earning Applied Physics graduates of any state. Wisconsin Intercollegiate Ath Conference has the best paid Applied Physics graduates of any conference..



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Applied Physics: Median Professor Rating: 4.5 / 5, which is Top 50.

 Professors again and again play a monumental role in your college experience, no matter what you study. A good teacher might provide inspiration and even make a difficult subject seem easy. On the flip side, a bad professor can interrupt your schooling or even worse... flunk you!

 Professors of Applied Physics boast a median student rating of 4.5 out of 5, putting them in 33rd place in the United States grounded in overall professor quality. For context a 4.5 rating is 12.5% greater than the national median professor rating for all subjects. Applied Physics professors barely out-ranked those from ["Audiology"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-audiology), whereas ["Photojournalism"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-photojournalism)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Applied Physics.

 Now for some statistics about Applied Physics professors. Colleges located in large suburbs tend to have the best Applied Physics professors. The Big Ten Conference has the highest rated Applied Physics professors. The Southwest region has the highest rated Applied Physics professors. Public colleges tend to have higher rated Applied Physics professors than private institutions. Finally, Texas has the highest rated Applied Physics professors in America.

 Phillip Schlosser, instructor at [Ohio State University-Main Campus](/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus)&nbspin Columbus, OH is the most popular Applied Physics professor in the US. Robert Cole, instructor at [San Jacinto Community College](/colleges/san-jacinto-community-college)&nbspin Pasadena, TX is the highest rated Applied Physics professor in the United States, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 Learn which colleges have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College can be a very significant time in one's life; it is a time for individual growth and expansion. Undergrads begin to find out who they are as people and build many of the must-have skills to become a thriving adult. But learning is deeper than what one learns in a classroom - the campus dialogue, the nugget of wisdom gained from an old professor, the exposure to a different frame of reference. Therefore, a diverse college experience greatly enhances what one gains from the time spent in school.

 Applied Physics is a slightly more ethnically diverse subject than average\*. 63% of the United States' Applied Physics majors are white students, followed by students of other races\*\*(15%), asian students (9%), and black students (7%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [Eastern Michigan University](/colleges/eastern-michigan-university)&nbspin Ypsilanti, MI.

 Secondly, Applied Physics significatly skews male, with a bit over 7 in every 9 students majoring in Applied Physics identifying as men. The most gender balanced school in the top 100 is [Loras College](/colleges/loras-college) in Dubuque, IA.

 Another significant type of diversity is class diversity. Unfortunately, Applied Physics ranks in the bottom 11% of majors class diversity. 35% of its students come from very high income households, 16% are from households with $75,000 to $110,000 annual incomes, and 20% grew up in families who bring in under $30,000 a year. [Murray State University](/colleges/murray-state-university) is the most socioeconomically diverse college in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall CA is the most diverse state for Applied Physics. The Mid East is the most diverse region, and the University Athletic Association is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 9%
* Black: 7%
* Latino: 6%
* White: 63%
* Other: 15%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 79%
* Female: 21%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 20%
* 30k - 48k: 13%
* 48k - 75k: 15%
* 75k - 110k: 16%
* Over 110k: 35%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 57%
* Out of State: 35%
* International: 8%


Dartmouth College

Columbia University in the City of New York

Yale University

Brown University

California Institute of Technology

Carnegie Mellon University

Tufts University

University of California-Berkeley

Cornell University

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

University of Wisconsin-Madison

New York University

Tulane University of Louisiana

Case Western Reserve University

Lehigh University

Colorado School of Mines

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Ohio State University-Main Campus

University of California-San Diego

Santa Clara University

University of Tulsa

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Saint Louis University

Search for the best Applied Physics colleges according to your filter parameters.

2023 Applied Physics Salary

There are about 2,168 students enrolled in Applied Physics in the USA.

SALARY