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Chapel Hill, NC · Physics & astronomy

Physics & astronomy at UNC

UNC graduates about 47 physics & astronomy majors a year, 1% of its graduating class. That puts it 23rd of 525 schools we score for physics & astronomy, a standout program at 90 out of 100. Graduates in the major earn a median $103,000 four years out, 1.35× what the same major pays nationally. Research spending in the field runs about $38 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

90/100Standout#23 of 525 for physics & astronomy →
Graduates a year471% of the class
Median pay 4 years out$103,0001.35× the same major nationally
Research in the field$38Ma year, NSF
Admit rate17%whole school
SAT middle 50%1350–1530whole school

Around UNC

Carolina Center for Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Carolina Center for Genome Sciences UNCCH 20140901Photo: Bbfd · CC0 · source
Student & Academic Services Buildings (SASB) South, University of North Caro
Student & Academic Services Buildings South UNCCH 20140830Photo: Bbfd · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
South Campus Study Commons, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
South Campus Study Commons interior UNCCH 20141010Photo: Bbfd · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Hardin Residence Hall at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Hardin Residence Hall at UNCPhoto: Mx. Granger · CC0 · source

Where physics & astronomy happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: Genome Sciences Building, Health Science Library, Houpt Physician Office Building, Physical Plant Maintenance Shop, Koury Oral Health Sciences Building.

Named buildings on the campus map: Academic 100 · Dorm 53 · Athletics 14 · Arts 7 · Library 4 · Offices 2.

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Nearby in the physics & astronomy ranking

  1. Haverford College 91
  2. Amherst College 91
  3. University of California, Berkeley 90
  4. University of Virginia 90
  5. Wellesley College 90
  6. Williams College 90
  7. Pomona College 90
  8. Boston University 89

Other strong majors at UNC

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares UNC 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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