by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual looked at 3 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Physics Doctor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 99 doctor's degrees in physics to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
Your choice of physics for getting your doctor's degree school matters. Important measures of a quality physics program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
The overall quality of a doctor's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
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.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for physics students working on their doctor's degree.
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 Doctor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region.
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 needs to check out University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Located in the city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physics from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Washington University in St Louis is one of the best schools in the country for getting a doctor's degree in physics. Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, WUSTL is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physics from Washington University in St Louis
University of Nebraska - Lincoln is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a doctor's degree in physics. UNL is a very large public university located in the city of Lincoln.More information about a doctorate in physics from University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Explore the best physics colleges for a specific state in the Plains States Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 122 | 20 |
| Minnesota | 120 | 22 |
| Iowa | 110 | 19 |
| Kansas | 97 | 16 |
| Nebraska | 70 | 8 |
| North Dakota | 68 | 3 |
| South Dakota | 45 | 3 |
One of 8 majors within the Physical Sciences area of study, Physics has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Physics | 94 |
| Condensed Matter & Materials Physics | 5 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 203 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 35 |
| Materials Sciences | 9 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 6 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 3 |
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