by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2025, College Factual analyzed 91 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Physical Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 6,581 doctor's degrees in physical sciences to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Your choice of physical sciences for getting your doctor's degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To take this into account we consider a college's overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking which itself looks at a host of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their doctor's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their doctor's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
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 colleges for physical sciences 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 Physical Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for physical sciences students seeking a a doctor's degree. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
It is difficult to beat Massachusetts Institute of Technology if you wish to pursue a doctor's degree in physical sciences. MIT is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
University of California - Berkeley is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a doctor's degree in physical sciences. Located in the city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of California - Berkeley
It is hard to beat University of Michigan - Ann Arbor if you wish to pursue a doctor's degree in physical sciences. Located in the midsize city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
University of California - Santa Barbara is a good choice for students pursuing a doctor's degree in physical sciences. UCSB is a very large public university located in the suburb of Santa Barbara.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of California - Santa Barbara
Located in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from Johns Hopkins University
UW - Madison is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Madison.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Wisconsin - Madison
Duke is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Durham.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from Duke University
UMN Twin Cities is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Minneapolis.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Columbia is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of New York.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from Columbia University in the City of New York
Located in the small city of Ithaca, Cornell is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from Cornell University
University of Rochester is a large private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Rochester.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Rochester
Located in the large suburb of Newark, UD is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Delaware
Located in the city of La Jolla, UCSD is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of California - San Diego
Located in the city of Chestnut Hill, Boston College is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from Boston College
Located in the large city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of California - Irvine
Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from Ohio State University - Main Campus
UC Davis is a very large public university located in the small suburb of Davis.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of California - Davis
UF is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Gainesville.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Florida
Here are some additional great schools for Physical Sciences students that almost earned our Best Physical Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN |
| 20 | University of California - Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA |
| 21 | University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT |
| 22 | University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ |
| 23 | Texas A&M University - College Station | College Station, TX |
| 24 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Champaign, IL |
| 25 | The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX |
| 26 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC |
| 27 | Northeastern University | Boston, MA |
| 28 | University of Virginia - Main Campus | Charlottesville, VA |
| 29 | Boston University | Boston, MA |
| 30 | Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, OH |
View the Best Physical Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 3,103 |
| Physics | 2,046 |
| Geological & Earth Sciences | 766 |
| Astronomy & Astrophysics | 259 |
| Materials Sciences | 209 |
| Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology | 136 |
| Other Physical Science | 34 |
| Physics and Astronomy | 17 |
| General Physical Sciences | 11 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Engineering | 11,903 |
| Biological & Biomedical Sciences | 9,113 |
| Agriculture & Agriculture Operations | 4,401 |
| Mathematics & Statistics | 2,106 |
| Natural Resources & Conservation | 614 |
| Architecture & Related Services | 244 |
| Engineering Technologies | 182 |
| Military Technologies & Applied Sciences | 6 |
