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Seattle, WA · Physics & astronomy

Physics & astronomy at UW

UW graduates about 163 physics & astronomy majors a year, 2% of its graduating class. That puts it 38th of 525 schools we score for physics & astronomy, a standout program at 87 out of 100. Graduates in the major earn a median $76,000 four years out, about the national figure for the same major. Research spending in the field runs about $65 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

87/100Standout#38 of 525 for physics & astronomy →
Graduates a year1632% of the class
Median pay 4 years out$76,0000.99× the same major nationally
Research in the field$65Ma year, NSF
Admit rate39%whole school

Around UW

Kalmia latifolia at University of Washington. Exact location not certain.
Kalmia latifolia at University of Washington 1Photo: Gayest Frogs · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Production Date: 1924 Source Type: Postcard Publisher, Printer, Photographer: C.
University of Washington, The Purple and Gold - Large Letter Postcard (525905577Photo: Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA · CC BY 2.0 · source
University of Washington, Seattle, United States, March 2022
University of Washington, Seattle, United States Mar 31, 2022 01-01-37 PMPhoto: Senapa · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
The New Hub: Hours
The New Hub Hours (7974446523)Photo: Atomic Taco from Seattle, WA, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

Where physics & astronomy happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: North Physics Laboratory, Life Sciences Building, Magnuson Health Sciences Center, Physics / Astronomy Building, Physics / Astronomy Tower, Physics/Astronomy Auditorium, Theodore Jacobson Observatory, Social Work Speech and Hearing Sciences Building, Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, Ocean Sciences Building, Health Sciences Education Building, William H. Foege Genome Sciences Building.

Named buildings on the campus map: Academic 139 · Dorm 32 · Athletics 16 · Student housing 12 · Library 6 · Arts 5.

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Nearby in the physics & astronomy ranking

  1. Vanderbilt University 89
  2. Duke University 89
  3. University of California, Los Angeles 88
  4. Swarthmore College 88
  5. University of Maryland, College Park 87
  6. Georgia Institute of Technology 87
  7. William & Mary 87
  8. Colgate University 87

Other strong majors at UW

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares UW 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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