2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s
23
Ranked Colleges
122
Degrees Awarded
$37,100
Avg Cost*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Engineering & Applied Physics is the 448th most popular major in the country with 994 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 122 engineering and applied physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s” ranking analyzed 23 colleges that offered a degree in engineering and applied physics. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular engineering and applied physics programs in the United States.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Engineering & Applied Physics Schools
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s” list to help you make the college decision.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s
The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree applied physics students.
Top 23 Most Popular Master’s Degree Colleges for Engineering & Applied Physics
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cornell University. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s. This large school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 19 masters’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Cornell Engineering & Applied Physics Report
Out of the 23 schools in the Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #2 spot on the list. Columbia University in the City of New York is a large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 17 masters’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Columbia Engineering & Applied Physics Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Yale University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. Yale University is a fairly large school located in New Haven, Connecticut that handed out 16 masters’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Yale
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. Located in Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, this small public school awarded 16 degrees to qualified masters’s applied physics students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harvard University. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified masters’s applied physics students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Harvard
University of California - San Diego ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. UCSD is a public institution located in La Jolla, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of California - San Diego Engineering & Applied Physics Report
California Institute of Technology ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. Caltech is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pasadena, California. It awarded 9 masters’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Caltech Engineering & Applied Physics Report
With a ranking of #8, Stevens Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. Stevens is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Hoboken, New Jersey. It awarded 8 masters’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Stevens Institute of Technology Engineering & Applied Physics Report
With a ranking of #9, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach is located in Daytona Beach, Florida and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 masters’s applied physics degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Engineering & Applied Physics Report
University of Central Oklahoma ranked #10 on this year’s Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. University of Central Oklahoma is located in Edmond, Oklahoma and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 masters’s applied physics degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at University of Central Oklahoma
With a ranking of #10, New York University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. NYU is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.
Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at New York University
With a ranking of #12, Rice University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 2 masters’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Rice Engineering & Applied Physics Report
Illinois Institute of Technology landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s ranking. Illinois Tech is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Illinois Tech
With a ranking of #13, Northwestern University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Engineering & Applied Physics at Northwestern
With a ranking of #13, University of Maine did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. Located in Orono, Maine, this fairly large public school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified masters’s applied physics students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full UMaine Engineering & Applied Physics Report
University of California - Davis ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s applied physics degrees to 0 students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at UC Davis
Naval Postgraduate School came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s ranking. This small school is located in Monterey, California, and it awarded 1 masters’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Naval Postgraduate School Engineering & Applied Physics Report
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s ranking. RPI is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Troy, New York. It awarded 0 masters’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s ranking. Norman, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s applied physics degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Engineering & Applied Physics at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
Colorado School of Mines came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Golden, Colorado, and it awarded 59 masters’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Mines Engineering & Applied Physics Report
University of Tulsa ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. Tulsa, Oklahoma is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s applied physics degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Engineering & Applied Physics at University of Tulsa
Worcester Polytechnic Institute ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private not-for-profit institution located in Worcester, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 0 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Worcester Polytechnic Institute Engineering & Applied Physics Report
With a ranking of #16, University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Applied Physics Major for a Master’s list. University of Virginia - Main Campus is a large school located in Charlottesville, Virginia that handed out 1 masters’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Virginia Engineering & Applied Physics Report
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to NASA.
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