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Notre Dame, IN · Physics & astronomy

Physics & astronomy at Notre Dame

Notre Dame graduates about 32 physics & astronomy majors a year, 2% of its graduating class. That puts it 10th of 525 schools we score for physics & astronomy, a standout program at 95 out of 100. Graduates in the major earn a median $110,000 four years out, 1.43× what the same major pays nationally. Research spending in the field runs about $42 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

95/100Standout#10 of 525 for physics & astronomy →
Graduates a year322% of the class
Median pay 4 years out$110,0001.43× the same major nationally
Research in the field$42Ma year, NSF
Admit rate11%whole school
SAT middle 50%1450–1550whole school

Around Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame
St Edwards Hall with DomePhoto: Eccekevin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
University of Notre Dame
Notre dame dome sunsetPhoto: Eccekevin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Notre Dame (2023)
Notre Dame (2023) - 18Photo: Another Believer · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Chapel in Zahm Hall at the University of Notre Dame
Zahm Hall ChapelPhoto: Swanyay · CC0 · source

Where physics & astronomy happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: Science Building, Jordan Hall of Science, Galvin Life Science Center, Hank Family Center for Environmental Sciences, Nieuwland Science Hall.

Named buildings on the campus map: Dorm 98 · Academic 96 · Athletics 18 · Chapel 6 · Student housing 5 · Library 4.

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Nearby in the physics & astronomy ranking

  1. Stanford University 97
  2. University of Pennsylvania 96
  3. Columbia University 96
  4. Cornell University 95
  5. Dartmouth College 95
  6. Johns Hopkins University 95
  7. Carnegie Mellon University 94
  8. Brown University 94

Other strong majors at Notre Dame

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares Notre Dame 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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