by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual looked at 26 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Physical Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,198 doctor's degrees in physical sciences during the 2022-2023 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
The physical sciences doctor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality physical sciences program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
The overall quality of a doctor's degree school is important to ensure a quality 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.
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.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for physical sciences students working on their doctor'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 Physical Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list to help you make the college decision.
Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for physical sciences students seeking a a doctor's degree.
Duke University is a wonderful option for individuals interested in a doctor's degree in physical sciences. Located in the city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from Duke University
Any student pursuing a degree in a doctor's degree in physical sciences has to take a look at University of Florida. Located in the midsize city of Gainesville, UF is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Florida
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a doctor's degree in physical sciences. UNC Chapel Hill is a very large public university located in the city of Chapel Hill.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Virginia - Main Campus is a good choice for individuals interested in a doctor's degree in physical sciences. Located in the midsize suburb of Charlottesville, University of Virginia is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Virginia - Main Campus
UofSC is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Columbia.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of South Carolina - Columbia
NC State is a fairly large public university located in the city of Raleigh.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from North Carolina State University
Located in the small city of Fayetteville, UARK is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from University of Arkansas
Wake Forest University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Winston-Salem.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from Wake Forest University
Located in the city of Richmond, VCU is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from Virginia Commonwealth University
Located in the large city of Atlanta, Georgia Tech is a public school with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in physical sciences from Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus
Explore the best physical sciences schools for a specific state in the Southeast Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 29 | 238 |
| Virginia | 29 | 136 |
| Georgia | 28 | 132 |
| Mississippi | 28 | 32 |
| South Carolina | 28 | 56 |
| North Carolina | 26 | 174 |
| Kentucky | 26 | 40 |
| Alabama | 25 | 55 |
| Tennessee | 25 | 62 |
| Louisiana | 25 | 74 |
| Arkansas | 23 | 37 |
| West Virginia | 20 | 25 |
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | 589 |
| Physics | 345 |
| 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 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Engineering | 2,581 |
| Biological & Biomedical Sciences | 1,922 |
| Agriculture & Agriculture Operations | 1,326 |
| Mathematics & Statistics | 374 |
| Natural Resources & Conservation | 152 |
| Architecture & Related Services | 60 |
| Engineering Technologies | 4 |
| Military Technologies & Applied Sciences | 3 |
