Get my odds
Amherst, MA · Physics & astronomy

Physics & astronomy at Amherst College

Amherst College graduates about 20 physics & astronomy majors a year, 4% of its graduating class. That puts it 19th of 525 schools we score for physics & astronomy, a standout program at 91 out of 100. Research spending in the field runs about $1 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

91/100Standout#19 of 525 for physics & astronomy →
Graduates a year204% of the class
Research in the field$1Ma year, NSF
Admit rate9%whole school
SAT middle 50%1420–1550whole school

Around Amherst College

Frost Library, Amherst College. Its groundbreaking in 1963 was attended by Presi
Frost Library, Amherst CollegePhoto: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Johnson Chapel at the Amhest College Main Quad.
Johnson Chapel at the Amhest College Main Quad. - panoramioPhoto: olekinderhook · CC BY 3.0 · source
Built 1870-73. Designed by William Appleton Potter. Preserved from the now-demol
Victorian Gothic - Amherst, MA - Amherst College (Stearns Steeple) (2)Photo: Bmzuckerman · CC BY 4.0 · source
Scanned 35 mm color slide film from a small red box (RB) labeled "PKG#9" in a st
RB-Pkg9-014 (49719462773)Photo: Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection · CC BY 2.0 · source

Where physics & astronomy happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: Science Center, Beneski Earth Sciences Building.

Named buildings on the campus map: Dorm 31 · Academic 13 · Offices 2 · Arts 2 · Athletics 1 · Dining 1.

Open the full-screen campus map →

Nearby in the physics & astronomy ranking

  1. Case Western Reserve University 92
  2. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor 91
  3. Wesleyan University 91
  4. Haverford College 91
  5. University of California, Berkeley 90
  6. University of Virginia 90
  7. University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill 90
  8. Wellesley College 90

Other strong majors at Amherst College

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares Amherst College with every school we score in physics & astronomy. It weighs the school's overall strength; how many students graduate in the major and what share of the class they are; research spending in the field (NSF); early pay against the same major nationally; how many courses the catalog lists; and test scores. 80+ is a standout program, 65+ strong, 45+ solid. Sources: US Department of Education (College Scorecard, IPEDS), NSF HERD, each school's current course catalog, OpenStreetMap and Wikimedia Commons.

See your odds at Amherst College Everything about Amherst College