by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools in the Southeast Region to determine which ones were the best for physics students pursuing a doctor's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 345 doctor's degrees in physics to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The physics doctor'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:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To account for this we include a school's overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking which itself looks at a collection of various 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 doctor's degree from the school. After all, your doctor's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for physics students working on their doctor's degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Physics Doctor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a doctor's degree in physics.
Every student who is interested in a doctor's degree in physics has to look into Duke University. Duke is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Durham.More information about a doctorate in physics from Duke University
Every student pursuing a degree in a doctor's degree in physics has to take a look at University of Virginia - Main Campus. University of Virginia is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized suburb of Charlottesville.More information about a doctorate in physics from University of Virginia - Main Campus
It's hard to beat University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill if you wish to pursue a doctor's degree in physics. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, UNC Chapel Hill is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physics from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Any student pursuing a degree in a doctor's degree in physics needs to take a look at University of Florida. UF is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Gainesville.More information about a doctorate in physics from University of Florida
UARK is a very large public university located in the city of Fayetteville.More information about a doctorate in physics from University of Arkansas
Located in the large city of Raleigh, NC State is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physics from North Carolina State University
Georgia Tech is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Atlanta.More information about a doctorate in physics from Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus
Florida State is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Tallahassee.More information about a doctorate in physics from Florida State University
Louisiana State University is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Baton Rouge.More information about a doctorate in physics from Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
Located in the suburb of Orlando, UCF is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physics from University of Central Florida
Explore the best physics colleges for a specific state in the Southeast Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 138 | 74 |
| Virginia | 127 | 43 |
| Georgia | 126 | 30 |
| North Carolina | 115 | 47 |
| Mississippi | 113 | 5 |
| Louisiana | 103 | 21 |
| Tennessee | 102 | 19 |
| Alabama | 98 | 14 |
| South Carolina | 91 | 19 |
| Kentucky | 87 | 7 |
| Arkansas | 58 | 6 |
| West Virginia | 49 | 8 |
Physics is one of 8 different types of Physical Sciences programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Physics | 324 |
| Other Physics | 13 |
| Optics/Optical Sciences | 8 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 589 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 130 |
| Materials Sciences | 42 |
| Other Physical Science | 28 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 26 |
| Physics and Astronomy | 17 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 12 |
| General Physical Sciences | 9 |
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