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Austin, TX · Physics & astronomy

Physics & astronomy at UT Austin

UT Austin graduates about 109 physics & astronomy majors a year, 1% of its graduating class. That puts it 60th of 525 schools we score for physics & astronomy, a standout program at 84 out of 100. Graduates in the major earn a median $72,000 four years out, about the national figure for the same major. Research spending in the field runs about $73 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

84/100Standout#60 of 525 for physics & astronomy →
Graduates a year1091% of the class
Median pay 4 years out$72,0000.97× the same major nationally
Research in the field$73Ma year, NSF
Admit rate27%whole school
SAT middle 50%1230–1500whole school

Around UT Austin

The north face of PMA (Physics, Math, and Astronomy Building), formerly RLM.
Robert Lee Moore Hall north facePhoto: Spheroidite · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
The Jackson School of Geosciences building at the University of Texas at Austin
Jackson School of Geosciences UT Austin 2019Photo: Larry D. Moore · CC BY 4.0 · source
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry looks at a scene-setter video while touring t
Secretary Kerry Looks at a Scene-Setter Video While Touring the LBJ PresidentialPhoto: U.S. Department of State from United States · Public domain · source
Looking north from the Stadium
Looking north from the Stadium - panoramioPhoto: Idawriter · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Where physics & astronomy happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: Neural Molecular Science Building, O’Donnell Building for Applied Computational Engineering and Sciences, Jackson Geological Sciences Building, Bill and Melinda Gates Computer Science Complex, Larry R. Faulkner Nano Science and Technology Building, Physics, Math, and Astronomy Building.

Named buildings on the campus map: Academic 142 · Dorm 16 · Athletics 11 · Arts 7 · Chapel 3 · Library 3.

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Nearby in the physics & astronomy ranking

  1. University of Southern California 85
  2. Grinnell College 85
  3. Smith College 85
  4. Emory University 85
  5. The Ohio State University 84
  6. Oberlin College 84
  7. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 83
  8. University of Minnesota–Twin Cities 83

Other strong majors at UT Austin

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares UT Austin 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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