Best institutions to study Physics in California
The Physics program focuses on the study of matter, energy, and the fundamental forces of nature. It encompasses various specializations, including Atomic/Molecular Physics, Nuclear Physics, and Optics/Optical Sciences, making it suitable…
Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona Public · Bachelor's degree | $64,045 | 23 | 68% | — | $23,000 |
| 2 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles Public · Bachelor's degree | $60,495 | 125 | 93% | — | $21,100 |
| 3 | California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino Public · Bachelor's degree | $57,114 | 15 | 55% | — | — |
| 4 | California State University - San Marcos San Marcos Public · Bachelor's degree | $56,018 | 6 | 55% | — | $19,069 |
| 5 | University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public · Bachelor's degree | $53,597 | 180 | 83% | — | $15,982 |
| 6 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley Public · Bachelor's degree | $50,219 | 171 | 93% | — | $15,508 |
| 7 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,951 | 110 | 86% | — | $16,800 |
| 8 | University of California - Irvine Irvine Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,144 | 113 | 87% | — | $15,000 |
| 9 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,057 | 41 | 69% | — | $23,229 |
| 10 | University of California - Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,859 | 53 | 75% | — | $16,250 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Physicists (SOC 19-2012).
Top skills
What Physicists earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Physics programs in California.
Which Physics program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), California State Polytechnic University - Pomona tops the list at $64,045. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Physicists earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Physicists in California is $201,930 (median $207,490), across about 5,930 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Physics program?+
The Physics program focuses on the study of matter, energy, and the fundamental forces of nature. It encompasses various specializations, including Atomic/Molecular Physics, Nuclear Physics, and Optics/Optical Sciences, making it suitable…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop science, reading comprehension, mathematics, critical thinking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Physicists?+
The national job outlook is about +4.0% growth with around 1,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card