Best institutions to study Health/Medical Physics
A program that focuses on the application of physics, nuclear science, and engineering physics to diagnostic, treatment, and therapeutic processes and public health protection.
37 U.S. institutions graduated 332 Health/Medical Physics students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 51.2205, a specialization of Public Health (CIP 51.22), and leads most directly to the Physicists occupation (BLS SOC 19-2012).
About Health/Medical Physics programs
A program that focuses on the application of physics, nuclear science, and engineering physics to diagnostic, treatment, and therapeutic processes and public health protection. Includes instruction in radiation biophysics, biophysics, health effects of natural and artificially induced radiation, hazard evaluation, environmental radioactivity, nuclear physics, engineering physics, radiobiology, medical radiology, calibration and dosage theory, computer applications and medical informatics, and specific research problems.
See also: 26.0203 - Biophysics.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Health/Medical Physics program, a specialization within Public Health, focuses on applying physics and nuclear science to enhance diagnostic, treatment, and therapeutic processes while ensuring public health protection. This program is ideal for students interested in the intersection of healthcare and physics, preparing them for critical roles in medical environments.
Students in this program will gain knowledge in radiation biophysics, medical radiology, and environmental radioactivity, alongside core skills in science, mathematics, and critical thinking. Coursework often includes computer applications and medical informatics, equipping graduates with the tools needed for advanced research and practical applications in health physics.
Credentials awarded
What Health/Medical Physics graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Master's degree211 graduates / yr · 30 institutions64%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship40 graduates / yr · 8 institutions12%
- Bachelor's degree30 graduates / yr · 6 institutions9.0%
- Post-master's certificate28 graduates / yr · 5 institutions8.4%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate20 graduates / yr · 7 institutions6.0%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year2 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.6%
- Doctor's degree - professional practice1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.3%
Graduates over time
Health/Medical Physics completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 199 |
| 2013 | 189 |
| 2014 | 220 |
| 2015 | 244 |
| 2016 | 207 |
| 2017 | 186 |
| 2018 | 233 |
| 2019 | 209 |
| 2020 | 229 |
| 2021 | 256 |
| 2022 | 237 |
| 2023 | 243 |
| 2024 | 288 |
| 2025 | 332 |
Top 37 institutions for Health/Medical Physics, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon State University Corvallis, ORPublicMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoral | 40 | 70% | — | $40,682 |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WIPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 28 | 90% | — | — |
| 3 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJPublicMaster's | 23 | 84% | — | $45,408 |
| 4 | University of New Mexico - Main Campus Albuquerque, NMPublicDoctoralMaster'sMaster's | 23 | 55% | — | — |
| 5 | Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GAPublicMaster'sMaster's | 21 | 94% | — | — |
| 6 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, INPublicMaster'sDoctoralBachelor'sMaster's | 18 | 83% | — | $45,274 |
| 7 | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TXPublicBachelor's | 15 | — | — | $99,671 |
| 8 | University of California - San Francisco San Francisco, CAPublicMaster's | 11 | — | — | — |
| 9 | Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 11 | 75% | $19,899 | — |
| 10 | Wayne State University Detroit, MIPublicMaster'sDoctoralMaster's | 11 | 58% | — | $32,584 |
| 11 | The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TNPublicMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 11 | 74% | — | — |
| 12 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KYPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 10 | 71% | — | $36,957 |
| 13 | Creighton University Omaha, NEPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 9 | 83% | $27,353 | — |
| 14 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NCPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert.Master's | 9 | 89% | $20,914 | — |
| 15 | University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, ALPublicMaster's | 7 | 64% | — | $32,187 |
| 16 | Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FLPublicMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 7 | 63% | — | — |
| 17 | University of Maryland, Baltimore Baltimore, MDPublicPost-degree cert. | 7 | — | — | — |
| 18 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NYPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 6 | 75% | — | $39,164 |
| 19 | Oregon Health & Science University Portland, ORPublicMaster's | 6 | — | — | — |
| 20 | San Diego State University San Diego, CAPublicMaster's | 5 | 76% | — | $41,092 |
| 21 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FLPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 5 | 84% | $26,589 | — |
| 22 | University of Nevada - Las Vegas Las Vegas, NVPublicPost-degree cert.DoctoralMaster's | 5 | 51% | — | — |
| 23 | Hofstra University Hempstead, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 5 | 69% | $34,539 | $39,451 |
| 24 | California State University - Fresno Fresno, CAPublicBachelor's | 4 | 57% | — | $34,948 |
| 25 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LAPublicMaster's | 4 | 69% | — | — |
| 26 | Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MOPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 4 | 94% | $14,126 | — |
| 27 | Brown University Providence, RIPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 4 | 96% | $14,644 | $75,909 |
| 28 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TNPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoral (prof.) | 4 | 94% | $14,854 | — |
| 29 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MDPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 3 | 94% | $11,888 | $36,540 |
| 30 | Weill Medical College of Cornell University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 3 | — | — | — |
| 31 | University of Rhode Island Kingston, RIPublicMaster's | 3 | 73% | — | — |
| 32 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MNPublicMaster's | 2 | 85% | — | — |
| 33 | Rowan University Glassboro, NJPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 2 | 67% | — | — |
| 34 | Belmont University Nashville, TNPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 71% | $29,246 | — |
| 35 | John Patrick University of Health and Applied Sciences South Bend, INPrivate for-profitMaster's | 2 | — | $23,304 | — |
| 36 | Howard University Washington, DCPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 1 | 70% | $48,194 | — |
| 37 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NCPublicPost-degree cert. | 1 | 85% | — | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Public Health field (CIP 51.22) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 24 states
Where Health/Medical Physics graduates come from. Each state links to all Public Health programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-2012, Physicists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Health/Medical Physics program can pursue careers as physicists, with a median wage of $166,290. The job outlook is about as fast as average, with an estimated 1,700 annual openings. Most positions require a doctoral or professional degree, emphasizing the advanced education needed in this field.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 51.2205
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Physicistsprimary SOC 19-2012 | $172,250 | +4.0% About as fast as average | ~1,700 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1071 | $107,310 | +17.3% Much faster than average | ~27,400 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1054 | $100,310 | +2.5% About as fast as average | ~1,300 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Health/Medical Physics programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Perform complex calculations as part of the analysis and evaluation of data, using computers.
- Analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena.
- Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms.
- Design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood.
- Write research proposals to receive funding.
- Teach physics to students.
Tools and technology used
Other Public Health specializations
The 12 other 6-digit CIP codes under Public Health (CIP 51.22).
- Public HealthCIP 51.220124,565 graduates / yr483 institutions
- Public Health Education and PromotionCIP 51.22073,740 graduates / yr157 institutions
- Community Health and Preventive MedicineCIP 51.22083,507 graduates / yr121 institutions
- Public HealthCIP 51.22992,709 graduates / yr67 institutions
- Health Services AdministrationCIP 51.22112,260 graduates / yr121 institutions
- International Public Health/CIP 51.2210
International Health 1,359 graduates / yr64 institutions - Environmental HealthCIP 51.22021,306 graduates / yr88 institutions
- Behavioral Aspects of HealthCIP 51.2212751 graduates / yr55 institutions
- Occupational Health and Industrial HygieneCIP 51.2206300 graduates / yr27 institutions
- Maternal and Child HealthCIP 51.2209225 graduates / yr22 institutions
- Patient Safety and Healthcare QualityCIP 51.2213partial data104 graduates / yr9 institutions
Show 1 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Public Health Genetics51.2214
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Master's degree, Doctor's degree, Bachelor's degree, or a Post-master's certificate.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in science, mathematics, critical thinking, and effective communication.
What careers can I pursue with this degree?+
You can work as a physicist, health specialties teacher, or physics teacher.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with an expected growth of 4% and 1,700 annual openings.
What is the CIP code for Health/Medical Physics?+
Health/Medical Physics is CIP 51.2205 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Public Health (CIP 51.22). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the application of physics, nuclear science, and engineering physics to diagnostic, treatment, and therapeutic processes and public health protection. Includes instruction in radiation biophysics, biophysics, health effects of natural and artificially induced radiation, hazard evaluation, environmental radioactivity, nuclear physics, engineering physics, radiobiology, medical radiology, calibration and dosage theory, computer applications and medical informatics, and specific research problems.
How many institutions offer Health/Medical Physics programs?+
37 U.S. institutions reported Health/Medical Physics graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 24 states, awarding 332 credentials in the year. That is 0.8% of all Public Health graduates.
How much do Health/Medical Physics graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Physicists occupation, which Health/Medical Physics most directly leads to, pays a median of $172,250 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Public Health field report median earnings of $39,451 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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