2025 Best Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region
20
Colleges in the Great Lakes Region
1,684
Physics Degrees Awarded
$52,956
Avg Early-Career Salary
Physics is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #68 most popular degree program in the country. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.
In 2025, College Factual analyzed 20 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,684 degrees in physics to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great Physics School
The physics program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Physics rankings. We derive our Best Overall Physics School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.
In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.
Pick Your Physics Degree Level
The physics school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region.
You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.
In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you.
When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.
More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.
Best Schools for Physics in the Great Lakes Region
Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the physics degree levels they offer.
10 Top Great Lakes Region Schools in Physics
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
2nd
Most Popular In IN
71
Physics Degrees Awarded
University of Notre Dame is a wonderful choice for students interested in a degree in physics. Notre Dame is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Notre Dame. A Best Colleges rank of #29 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Notre Dame is a great university overall.
There were roughly 71 physics students who graduated with this degree at Notre Dame in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in physics from University of Notre Dame
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in physics. Located in the midsize city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #22 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means U-M is a great university overall.
There were approximately 120 physics students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent year we have data available. Physics degree recipients from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor receive an earnings boost of around $2,042 over the typical income of physics graduates.
More information about a degree in physics from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
University of Wisconsin - Madison is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in physics. UW - Madison is a fairly large public university located in the city of Madison. A Best Colleges rank of #40 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UW - Madison is a great university overall.
There were approximately 98 physics students who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the physics program earn about $36,878 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a degree in physics from University of Wisconsin - Madison
Ohio State University - Main Campus is a wonderful decision for students interested in a degree in physics. Located in the large city of Columbus, Ohio State is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #70 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Ohio State is a great university overall.
There were roughly 133 physics students who graduated with this degree at Ohio State in the most recent year we have data available. Those physics students who get their degree from Ohio State University - Main Campus make $30,444 more than the standard physics student.
More information about a degree in physics from Ohio State University - Main Campus
UIUC is a very large public university located in the small city of Champaign. A Best Colleges rank of #41 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UIUC is a great university overall.
There were approximately 93 physics students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the physics program make an average of $52,329 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a degree in physics from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
2nd
Most Popular In OH
Located in the large city of Cleveland, Case Western is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #116 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Case Western is a great university overall.
There were about 26 physics students who graduated with this degree at Case Western in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in physics from Case Western Reserve University
Michigan State is a very large public university located in the small city of East Lansing. A Best Colleges rank of #54 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Michigan State is a great university overall.
There were roughly 93 physics students who graduated with this degree at Michigan State in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the physics program earn an average of $35,999 in their early career salary.
More information about a degree in physics from Michigan State University
Located in the city of Cincinnati, UC is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 6th out of 91 schools for overall quality in the state of Ohio.
There were approximately 28 physics students who graduated with this degree at UC in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in physics from University of Cincinnati - Main Campus
Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #65 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Purdue is a great university overall.
There were roughly 73 physics students who graduated with this degree at Purdue in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the physics program report average early career earnings of $30,203.
More information about a degree in physics from Purdue University - Main Campus
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
3rd
Most Popular In IN
50
Physics Degrees Awarded
Located in the city of Bloomington, IU Bloomington is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #30 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means IU Bloomington is a great university overall.
There were about 50 physics students who graduated with this degree at IU Bloomington in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in physics from Indiana University - Bloomington
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