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Durham, NC · Physics & astronomy

Physics & astronomy at Duke

Duke graduates about 15 physics & astronomy majors a year. That puts it 29th of 525 schools we score for physics & astronomy, a standout program at 89 out of 100. Research spending in the field runs about $28 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

89/100Standout#29 of 525 for physics & astronomy →
Graduates a year15under 1% of the class
Research in the field$28Ma year, NSF
Admit rate5%whole school
SAT middle 50%1490–1570whole school

Around Duke

Social Sciences Building, West Campus, Duke University, Durham, NC
Social Sciences Building, West Campus, Duke University, Durham, NC (48960403943)Photo: Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States · CC0 · source
Perkins Library, West Campus, Duke University, Durham, NC
Perkins Library, West Campus, Duke University, Durham, NC (48961110752)Photo: Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States · CC0 · source
Allen Building, West Campus, Duke University, Durham, NC
Allen Building, West Campus, Duke University, Durham, NC (48960961831)Photo: Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States · CC0 · source
Perkins Library, West Campus, Duke University, Durham, NC
Perkins Library, West Campus, Duke University, Durham, NC (48960917771)Photo: Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States · CC0 · source

Where physics & astronomy happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: Medical Sciences Research Building, Levine Science Research Center, Snyderman Genome Science Research Building, Medical Science Research Building III, Medical Science Research Building II, French Family Science Center, Physics Building, Biological Sciences Greenhouses, Biological Sciences Building, Social Sciences Building.

Named buildings on the campus map: Dorm 45 · Academic 37 · Athletics 16 · Library 3 · Dining 3 · Arts 2.

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Nearby in the physics & astronomy ranking

  1. Tufts University 89
  2. Bowdoin College 89
  3. Washington University in St. Louis 89
  4. Vanderbilt University 89
  5. University of California, Los Angeles 88
  6. Swarthmore College 88
  7. University of Washington 87
  8. University of Maryland, College Park 87

Other strong majors at Duke

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares Duke 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.

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