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Chicago, IL · Physics & astronomy

Physics & astronomy at UChicago

UChicago graduates about 70 physics & astronomy majors a year, 4% of its graduating class. That puts it 5th of 525 schools we score for physics & astronomy, a standout program at 98 out of 100. Research spending in the field runs about $72 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

98/100Standout#5 of 525 for physics & astronomy →
Graduates a year704% of the class
Research in the field$72Ma year, NSF
Admit rate4%whole school
SAT middle 50%1500–1580whole school

Around UChicago

A view of the inside of the Social Science Research Building at the University o
View looking through door of the Social Science Research BuildingPhoto: Jonathan Schilling · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Chicago, Illinois (2026)
Chicago, Illinois (2026) - 519Photo: Another Believer · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Weight with trilingual inscription. Persepolis, Achaemenid period. Darius I, 522
UC Oriental Institute Persian collection item 05Photo: Nightryder84 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Built in 1929-1931, this Collegiate Gothic Revival-style building was designed b
Oriental Institute Building, University of Chicago, University Avenue and 58th SPhoto: Warren LeMay from Chicago, IL, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

Where physics & astronomy happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: Donnelley Biological Sciences Learning Center, High Energy Physics Building, Michelson Center for Physics, Biopsychology Science Building, Kersten Physics Teaching Center, Henry Hinds Laboratory for Geophysical Sciences, Social Science Research Building, Cummings Life Sciences Center.

Named buildings on the campus map: Academic 96 · Dorm 15 · Arts 9 · Dining 8 · Library 6 · Athletics 4.

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Nearby in the physics & astronomy ranking

  1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 100
  2. Harvard University 99
  3. Princeton University 99
  4. California Institute of Technology 99
  5. Yale University 97
  6. Stanford University 97
  7. University of Pennsylvania 96
  8. Columbia University 96

Other strong majors at UChicago

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares UChicago 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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