by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2025, College Factual analyzed 10 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Physics Master's Degree Schools in California ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 243 master's degrees in physics to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The physics master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we consider a school's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a collection of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their master's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their master's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for physics students working on their master's degree.
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 Best Physics Master's Degree Schools in California list to help you make the college decision.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in physics.
It's difficult to beat University of California - Berkeley if you wish to pursue a master's degree in physics. Located in the city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in physics from University of California - Berkeley
Any student who is interested in a master's degree in physics needs to check out University of California - Santa Barbara. UCSB is a very large public university located in the midsize suburb of Santa Barbara.More information about a master’s in physics from University of California - Santa Barbara
University of California - Los Angeles is a great option for students pursuing a master's degree in physics. UCLA is a very large public university located in the large city of Los Angeles.More information about a master’s in physics from University of California - Los Angeles
It's hard to beat University of California - San Diego if you wish to pursue a master's degree in physics. Located in the large city of La Jolla, UCSD is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in physics from University of California - San Diego
Located in the city of Santa Cruz, UC Santa Cruz is a public university with a large student population.More information about a master’s in physics from University of California - Santa Cruz
Located in the city of San Francisco, SFSU is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in physics from San Francisco State University
Located in the city of Long Beach, CSULB is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in physics from California State University - Long Beach
Cal State Fullerton is a fairly large public university located in the large suburb of Fullerton.More information about a master’s in physics from California State University - Fullerton
Located in the city of Los Angeles, Cal State LA is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in physics from California State University - Los Angeles
CSUN is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Northridge.More information about a master’s in physics from California State University - Northridge
Explore all the Best Physics Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 183 | 40 |
| Oregon | 158 | 46 |
| Nevada | 105 | 4 |
| Hawaii | 85 | 2 |
| Alaska | 52 | 0 |
One of 8 majors within the Physical Sciences area of study, Physics has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Physics | 224 |
| Other Physics | 19 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 277 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 215 |
| Materials Sciences | 66 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 46 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 19 |
| General Physical Sciences | 12 |
| Physics and Astronomy | 1 |
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