Best universities in the US for physics and maths 2025

By Joy.Hunter@tim…, 7 July, 2025

Top universities for physics, chemistry and maths 2025

US Physical Sciences Rank 2025	Global Physical Sciences Rank 2025	University	Overall	Research Quality	Industry	International Outlook	Research Environment	Teaching
1	1	California Institute of Technology	97.2	98.3	100	90.7	97.9	96.4
=2	=2	Harvard University	96.5	98.1	93.4	91.8	98.4	94.1
=2	=2	Stanford University	96.5	98.7	100	89	95.4	96.2
4	4	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	96.1	98.1	98.7	91.6	94.5	95.9
5	5	Princeton University	96	97.4	99.8	91.8	94.1	96.8
6	6	University of California, Berkeley	95.5	97.9	100	90.3	96.7	92
7	=12	Yale University	90.2	94.2	67.8	88.6	88.7	90.4
8	15	Columbia University	89.5	95	85.2	93.3	86.5	84.9
9	16	The University of Chicago	89	91.6	73.6	90.8	88	88.5
10	17	University of California, Los Angeles	88.5	93.6	75.9	87.6	89.9	82.5
11	18	Cornell University	87	94.5	68.1	88.7	83.2	83.4
12	23	University of Washington	81.7	91.7	68.3	86	78.3	72.6
13	24	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	81.5	88.5	74.5	84.6	76.3	77.7
14	=28	University of Pennsylvania	80.3	92.8	79.9	87.2	70.9	71.2
15	33	Johns Hopkins University	79.1	94.2	90.1	88.5	71.4	62.8
16	34	University of California, Santa Barbara	78.5	95.9	99.9	87.9	70.9	57.4
17	36	Northwestern University	76.6	94.9	77.7	82.6	66.3	60.8
18	37	University of Texas at Austin	76.2	91.4	79.8	61.1	71.6	64.7
=19	=41	University of California, San Diego	74	89	99.8	78.9	64.7	58.2
=19	=41	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	74	86.7	75.7	66.9	72.4	60.7
21	45	University of Wisconsin-Madison	73.6	81.4	74.4	84.3	69.1	64.8
22	47	New York University	72.9	84.5	71.1	94.1	68.9	56.1
23	49	Georgia Institute of Technology	71.9	93.4	82	73.5	61.8	51.8
=24	=50	Brown University	71.8	90.4	65.5	84.9	51.6	64.5
=24	=50	University of Arizona	71.8	91.3	99	75	59.9	53
26	52	Duke University	71.5	86.7	81.7	86.1	55.1	62
27	53	University of Colorado Boulder	71.2	82.3	83.5	64.4	67.1	60.7
28	57	Carnegie Mellon University	70.3	96.6	67.1	87	54.3	47.3
29	58	Penn State (Main campus)	70.2	85.8	73	70.7	60.7	58.5
30	62	University of Maryland, College Park	68	92.9	73.1	53.9	56.4	49.9
31	69	University of California, Irvine	66.5	93.4	89.1	90.2	44.6	42.8
32	72	University of Massachusetts	65.7	89	70.8	88.5	43.3	50.3
33	78	Rice University	64.7	87.8	72.4	88.4	40.9	50
34	84	Stony Brook University	63.5	84.2	62.4	90.8	45.9	46.2
35	89	Purdue University West Lafayette	62.7	72.8	88.3	82.6	50.3	52.4
36	=90	University of California, Davis	62.4	83	73.7	86.9	45	44.1
37	=92	University of Minnesota	62.3	79	99.1	65.2	49.1	47
38	94	Michigan State University	62.2	80.8	66.6	87.4	44.4	47.7
=39	101–125	Boston University	59.1–61.1	86.4	66.9	84.1	35.8	40.3
=39	101–125	Ohio State University (Main campus)	59.1–61.1	82.5	68.6	81.6	40.7	42.7
=39	101–125	Texas A&M University	59.1–61.1	75.4	68.4	78.4	51.1	46.3
=39	101–125	University of California, Santa Cruz	59.1–61.1	89.3	62.1	81.3	40.2	33
=42	126–150	University of Hawai’i at Mānoa	56.0–59.0	82.8	71.7	78.1	41.3	33.6
=42	126–150	University of Rochester	56.0–59.0	76.6	65.7	86.5	37	38.5
=42	126–150	University of Southern California	56.0–59.0	78.8	73.2	76.5	39.6	36.9
=42	126–150	Washington University in St Louis	56.0–59.0	81.8	69.2	85.4	31.6	38.1
=46	151–175	Arizona State University (Tempe)	54.4–55.9	85.3	67.5	80	34.4	30
=46	151–175	University of California, Riverside	54.4–55.9	88.6	69.2	82.3	25.4	29.4
=46	151–175	University of Florida	54.4–55.9	79.4	70.3	62	37.2	38.3
=46	151–175	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	54.4–55.9	77.8	72.8	57.6	37.6	40.7
=50	176–200	North Carolina State University	52.6–54.3	69.3	75.5	70.7	35.3	39.2
=50	176–200	The University of Tennessee-Knoxville	52.6–54.3	84.3	68.4	72.2	27	28.3
=50	176–200	Vanderbilt University	52.6–54.3	83.9	67.8	81.4	27.8	30.4
=53	201–250	Brandeis University	49.7–52.5	80.5	55	93.5	17.2	28.9
=53	201–250	Colorado School of Mines	49.7–52.5	70.3	88.7	43.7	33.7	35.7
=53	201–250	Colorado State University, Fort Collins	49.7–52.5	73.5	71.4	57.9	29.7	37.7
=53	201–250	Emory University	49.7–52.5	75	70.6	79.2	26.1	34.6
=53	201–250	Florida State University	49.7–52.5	69.3	66.2	86.6	30.2	37.3
=53	201–250	Northeastern University, US	49.7–52.5	79.4	76.1	87.5	24.3	24
=53	201–250	University of Notre Dame	49.7–52.5	68	73.4	83.5	29.1	41.1
=53	201–250	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh campus	49.7–52.5	85.8	68.4	59.7	22.3	25.1
=53	201–250	University of Virginia (Main campus)	49.7–52.5	78.3	68.6	77.6	21.3	33.6
=62	251–300	Boston College	47.1–49.6	73.4	61.1	82.1	17.7	34.5
=62	251–300	Dartmouth College	47.1–49.6	64.3	62.7	61.6	22.3	44.5
=62	251–300	George Washington University	47.1–49.6	72.8	62	87.8	20.1	35.6
=62	251–300	Indiana University	47.1–49.6	65.9	90.6	82.4	23.7	33.2
=62	251–300	Rutgers University–New Brunswick	47.1–49.6	77	68.8	76.2	22.6	28
=62	251–300	Tufts University	47.1–49.6	72.9	67.6	78.6	19.3	28.6
=62	251–300	University of Delaware	47.1–49.6	67.1	83.8	84.6	27.3	33.8
=62	251–300	University of Houston	47.1–49.6	66.3	68.2	88.8	23.4	32.8
=62	251–300	University of Nebraska-Lincoln	47.1–49.6	70.6	68.9	85.1	23	27.8
=62	251–300	University of Utah	47.1–49.6	70	71.3	50.4	31.4	34.5
=62	251–300	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	47.1–49.6	76.2	67.6	71.3	24.8	28.8
=62	251–300	Washington State University	47.1–49.6	74.6	76.1	71.2	20.1	27.9
=74	301–400	Case Western Reserve University	42.4–46.9	72.3	65.7	78	17.7	27.5
=74	301–400	Drexel University	42.4–46.9	76.9	65.7	60.3	12	31.2
=74	301–400	Iowa State University	42.4–46.9	62.1	83.4	61.3	25.9	34.4
=74	301–400	Louisiana State University	42.4–46.9	70.9	60.5	61.8	14.9	28.7
=74	301–400	Missouri University of Science and Technology	42.4–46.9	70.8	71.6	78.6	19.2	21
=74	301–400	Oklahoma State University	42.4–46.9	67.9	52.7	78.7	14.6	26.1
=74	301–400	Syracuse University	42.4–46.9	75.3	59.3	68.5	17.8	29.4
=74	301–400	Temple University	42.4–46.9	75.3	56.8	61.7	13	25.3
=74	301–400	University at Buffalo	42.4–46.9	70.2	70.6	83.1	16.5	24.1
=74	301–400	University of Alaska Fairbanks	42.4–46.9	62.4	53.6	77.2	23.4	24.6
=74	301–400	University of Central Florida	42.4–46.9	70	73	47.8	31	24.4
=74	301–400	University of Connecticut	42.4–46.9	71	66.6	85	18	21.9
=74	301–400	University of Illinois Chicago	42.4–46.9	72.4	68.3	68.9	25.2	23.9
=74	301–400	University of Iowa	42.4–46.9	66.2	62.2	79.9	24.7	30.2
=74	301–400	University of Kansas	42.4–46.9	58.8	69.9	83.9	21.7	29.6
=74	301–400	University of South Carolina-Columbia	42.4–46.9	66.3	66.1	80.9	15.8	26.1
=74	301–400	University of South Florida	42.4–46.9	78.3	66	81.5	13.6	23.8
=74	301–400	University of Texas at Dallas	42.4–46.9	75.9	70.6	74.7	15.8	24.9
=92	401–500	American University	39.7–42.3	73.6	30.7	66	9.6	20.4
=92	401–500	Auburn University	39.7–42.3	65.4	61.8	73.1	16.3	21.6
=92	401–500	Florida Atlantic University	39.7–42.3	68.6	45.3	69.4	10.8	21.7
=92	401–500	Florida International University	39.7–42.3	70.1	49	53.1	14.4	20
=92	401–500	George Mason University	39.7–42.3	68.6	45.6	63.2	15	19.2
=92	401–500	Kansas State University	39.7–42.3	60.9	65.6	88.7	16.3	27
=92	401–500	Mississippi State University	39.7–42.3	72.5	46.6	64.3	12.1	15.9
=92	401–500	Mizzou - University of Missouri	39.7–42.3	58.7	62.5	68.3	19.3	27.2
=92	401–500	Northern Illinois University	39.7–42.3	69	48.8	80.9	9.9	22.1
=92	401–500	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	39.7–42.3	62.1	90.5	73.9	17.7	20.7
=92	401–500	Rochester Institute of Technology	39.7–42.3	76.6	53.7	50.3	13.7	21.2
=92	401–500	Texas Tech University	39.7–42.3	65.8	59.1	84.4	12.3	22.9
=92	401–500	The University of Tulsa	39.7–42.3	74	70.1	53.7	14.3	18.7
=92	401–500	University of California, Merced	39.7–42.3	76.6	43.8	51.4	13.2	23.2
=92	401–500	University of Maryland, Baltimore County	39.7–42.3	68.2	53.8	56	18.8	23.3
=92	401–500	University of Miami	39.7–42.3	57.8	54.8	84.3	21.8	27.9
=92	401–500	University of Oregon	39.7–42.3	70.4	43.3	54.8	16.2	25.2
=92	401–500	University of Texas at Arlington	39.7–42.3	58.1	59.9	70.8	20.6	26.5
=92	401–500	University of Wyoming	39.7–42.3	71.8	56.4	43.5	14.4	22.8
=92	401–500	Wayne State University	39.7–42.3	61.2	71.6	64.4	17.6	27.8
=112	501–600	Clarkson University	36.6–39.6	51.6	63.3	81.8	11.8	26.5
=112	501–600	Florida Institute of Technology	36.6–39.6	62	44.1	63	16.4	21.6
=112	501–600	Lehigh University	36.6–39.6	59.8	65	75.5	14.8	22.9
=112	501–600	Montana State University	36.6–39.6	60.6	57.7	44.2	15.9	22
=112	501–600	New Jersey Institute of Technology	36.6–39.6	51.7	49.1	91.6	13.7	24
=112	501–600	New Mexico State University (Main campus)	36.6–39.6	52	59.4	65	16.2	27.6
=112	501–600	Stevens Institute of Technology	36.6–39.6	54.1	52.9	78.9	18.7	19.7
=112	501–600	SUNY University at Albany	36.6–39.6	60.7	65.3	74.9	14.7	17.9
=112	501–600	The Catholic University of America	36.6–39.6	57.1	37.6	61.2	17.8	24.2
=112	501–600	The University of Alabama	36.6–39.6	63.1	53.6	59.2	16.1	17.5
=112	501–600	University of Georgia (USA)	36.6–39.6	48.2	63.1	54.3	21.1	28.1
=112	501–600	University of Kentucky	36.6–39.6	58.3	63.3	70.4	13.5	27.2
=112	501–600	University of Rhode Island	36.6–39.6	57.3	50.7	67.8	19.7	24.4
=112	501–600	University of Toledo	36.6–39.6	58	67.8	79.2	11.9	24.1
=112	501–600	William & Mary	36.6–39.6	59.9	47.1	47.1	21.3	27.2
=112	501–600	Worcester Polytechnic Institute	36.6–39.6	66.9	49.2	57.6	11	22.2
=128	601–800	Clark University	32.1–36.5	54.6	30.3	83	11.4	15.8
=128	601–800	Illinois Institute of Technology	32.1–36.5	55.7	63.1	69.1	10.4	22.6
=128	601–800	Ohio University (Main campus)	32.1–36.5	54.5	52	57.6	14	22.7
=128	601–800	Old Dominion University	32.1–36.5	63.2	39.2	45.1	12.3	17.9
=128	601–800	South Dakota State University	32.1–36.5	66.8	38	45	11.3	16.7
=128	601–800	SUNY Binghamton University	32.1–36.5	50.8	59.2	48.6	12.3	22.8
=128	601–800	The University of Texas at San Antonio	32.1–36.5	61.1	53.2	51.5	12.7	19.2
=128	601–800	Tulane University	32.1–36.5	47.1	56.1	65.9	14.5	19.8
=128	601–800	University of Arkansas	32.1–36.5	57.2	61.9	45.5	15.8	23.1
=128	601–800	University of Denver	32.1–36.5	52	41	63.4	12.6	23
=128	601–800	University of Nevada, Las Vegas	32.1–36.5	57.4	41.3	48.2	13.9	17.8
=128	601–800	University of South Dakota	32.1–36.5	66.7	35.4	59	9.6	17.4
=128	601–800	Wake Forest University	32.1–36.5	50.9	63.2	71.2	10.1	23.6
=128	601–800	Western Michigan University	32.1–36.5	50.7	30.7	67.5	10.5	23.5
=142	801–1000	Baylor University	26.1–32.0	44.1	37.6	64.2	11.8	23.6
=142	801–1000	Central Michigan University	26.1–32.0	40.2	20.7	50.9	12.2	18.9
=142	801–1000	Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University	26.1–32.0	44.3	37.1	59.8	13.8	17.3
=142	801–1000	Georgetown University	26.1–32.0	41	58.3	56.5	13.8	22.9
=142	801–1000	Georgia State University	26.1–32.0	45.2	47.5	73	10.7	18.5
=142	801–1000	Portland State University	26.1–32.0	39	49	38.8	10.8	18.4
=142	801–1000	Rowan University	26.1–32.0	56.2	32.4	46.8	7.2	18
=142	801–1000	Saint Louis University	26.1–32.0	36.5	50.9	59.9	10.3	24.6
=142	801–1000	San Diego State University	26.1–32.0	53	47	45.7	8.2	14.6
=142	801–1000	Texas State University	26.1–32.0	38.1	44.7	55.4	13.6	12.3
=142	801–1000	University of Colorado Denver /Anschutz Medical Campus	26.1–32.0	52.2	64.6	35.2	16	14.9
=142	801–1000	University of Memphis	26.1–32.0	35.2	33.6	49.3	9.9	23.3
=142	801–1000	University of North Carolina at Charlotte	26.1–32.0	51.1	49.7	44.8	9.9	15.2
=142	801–1000	University of Texas at El Paso	26.1–32.0	38.3	39.1	62.6	15.8	18.7
=142	801–1000	University of Texas Rio Grande Valley	26.1–32.0	48.3	18.5	55	6.5	11.1
=142	801–1000	Virginia Commonwealth University	26.1–32.0	39.3	73.5	43.4	15.8	21.3
=158	1001+	Bowling Green State University	9.3–26.0	22.7	36.4	51.7	8.1	21.8
=158	1001+	Georgia Southern University	9.3–26.0	34.8	44.5	52.7	7.4	16.2
=158	1001+	Morgan State University	9.3–26.0	23	19.7	71	12.9	18.6
=158	1001+	Oakland University	9.3–26.0	27.1	45	61.5	10.2	18.9
=158	1001+	University of Nebraska Omaha	9.3–26.0	19.1	25.9	33	7.1	14.9

Key insights into the top universities in the US for physics

The California Institute of Technology takes the first place position in this year's table for physical sciences, followed by Harvard University and Stanford University in joint second.
There are 162 US universities ranked in total.
The University of California, Berkeley achieves a top score for its links to industry
Four Ivy League universities are ranked in the top 10.
The physical sciences ranking ranks universities that offer courses in physics, chemistry, astronomy, maths, statistics, geology, environmental, earth and marine sciences.

Choosing the right university for physical sciences in the US

Choosing the best school for physics, chemistry or maths is a crucial step for prospective students. The Times Higher Education Physical Science Rankings help identify universities with strong reputations in teaching, research, and industry collaboration.

The table for the best universities for physical sciences in the US was derived from data collected for the THE World University Subject Rankings. The results are calculated using 18 performance indicators underlying five metrics: research environment, teaching (the learning environment), research quality, industry and international outlook. For more insights and a detailed breakdown of our ranking methodology, visit our methodology page. Use the ranking table above to explore the right institution for you.

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Discover the Times Higher Education rankings for the best physical science schools in the US 2025.

This list highlights the top-ranked universities for physics and maths in the US, based on the Times Higher Education Subject Rankings: Physical Sciences 2025. These rankings provide valuable insights into the leading institutions for physical sciences education and research.

A total of 162 US universities have been ranked for their excellence in teaching, research, industry collaboration, and international outlook.

The rankings are based on a rigorous methodology designed by Times Higher Education’s data experts, ensuring accuracy and reliability for students, academics, and industry leaders worldwide.

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Best universities in the US for physics and maths 2025

Top universities for physics, chemistry and maths 2025

Key insights into the top universities in the US for physics

Choosing the right university for physical sciences in the US

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