by our College Data Analytics TeamWe've pulled together some essential information you should know about the program, including how many students graduate each year, the ethnic diversity of these students, average starting salaries, and more. We've also included details on how UW - Madison ranks compared to other colleges offering a major in physics.
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UW - Madison is in the top 10% of the country for physics. More specifically it was ranked #16 out of 159 schools by College Factual. It is also ranked #1 in Wisconsin.
During the 2021-2022 academic year, University of Wisconsin - Madison handed out 46 bachelor's degrees in physics. This is a decrease of 18% over the previous year when 56 degrees were handed out.
In 2022, 42 students received their master’s degree in physics from UW - Madison. This makes it the #4 most popular school for physics master’s degree candidates in the country.
In addition, 27 students received their doctoral degrees in physics in 2022, making the school the #10 most popular school in the United States for this category of students.
Physics majors who earn their bachelor's degree from UW - Madison go on to jobs where they make a median salary of $36,878 a year. This is less than $47,156, which is the national median of all physics majors in the nation who earn bachelor's degrees.
Out-of-state part-time undergraduates at UW - Madison paid an average of $1,627 per credit hour in 2022-2023. The average for in-state students was $402 per credit hour. The average full-time tuition and fees for undergraduates are shown in the table below.
| In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $9,644 | $39,042 |
| Fees | $1,561 | $1,561 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,100 | $1,100 |
| On Campus Room and Board | $13,500 | $13,500 |
| On Campus Other Expenses | $3,100 | $3,100 |
Learn more about UW - Madison tuition and fees.
Of the 46 students who earned a bachelor's degree in Physics from UW - Madison in 2021-2022, 78% were men and 22% were women.
The majority of the students with this major are white. About 57% of 2022 graduates were in this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from University of Wisconsin - Madison with a bachelor's in physics.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 3 |
| Black or African American | 0 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0 |
| White | 26 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 14 |
| Other Races | 3 |
UW - Madison does not offer an online option for its physics bachelor’s degree program at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the UW - Madison Online Learning page.
Of the 17 physics students who graduated with a master's degree in 2021-2022 from UW - Madison, about 82% were men and 18% were women.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from University of Wisconsin - Madison with a master's in physics.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 1 |
| Black or African American | 0 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1 |
| White | 7 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 7 |
| Other Races | 1 |
Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the physics majors at University of Wisconsin - Madison.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 171 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 49 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 35 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 24 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.