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La Jolla, CA · Physics & astronomy

Physics & astronomy at UC San Diego

UC San Diego graduates about 60 physics & astronomy majors a year. That puts it 66th of 525 schools we score for physics & astronomy, a standout program at 82 out of 100. Graduates in the major earn a median $95,000 four years out, 1.24× what the same major pays nationally. Research spending in the field runs about $69 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

82/100Standout#66 of 525 for physics & astronomy →
Graduates a year60under 1% of the class
Median pay 4 years out$95,0001.24× the same major nationally
Research in the field$69Ma year, NSF
Admit rate29%whole school

Around UC San Diego

Atkinson Hall at the University of California, San Diego, housing the Qualcomm I
Qualcomm InstitutePhoto: TritonsRising · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Bear
Bear (2)Photo: SheepTester · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Earl Warren College
Earl Warren College 5 2017-10-19Photo: FASTILY · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Charles Lee Powell Structural Systems Laboratory at UCSD
Charles Lee Powell Structural Systems LaboratoryPhoto: Alan Islas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Where physics & astronomy happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: Social Sciences Research Building, Cognitive Science Building, High Bay Physics, Science and Engineering Research Facility, Social Sciences Public Engagement Building.

Named buildings on the campus map: Student housing 63 · Academic 62 · Dorm 38 · Athletics 10 · Dining 7 · Library 5.

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Nearby in the physics & astronomy ranking

  1. University of Minnesota–Twin Cities 83
  2. Franklin & Marshall College 83
  3. University of California, Santa Barbara 82
  4. Michigan State University 82
  5. Macalester College 82
  6. University of California, Irvine 81
  7. The Pennsylvania State University–University Park 81
  8. St. Olaf College 81

Other strong majors at UC San Diego

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares UC San Diego 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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