25 Most Popular Colleges for Physics Doctor’s Degree Programs

In 2017-2018, 1,880 students received their doctor’s degree in physics from an American university. Ranked in order of popularity, here are the colleges with the largest programs in the field:

Here are the average costs for graduate students at Stanford.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Stanford University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$48,987	$48,987
Fees for Full-Time Students	$630	$630
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,089	$1,089

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 3,422. Of that number, 1,114 were classified as teaching assistants, and 2,308 were classified as research assistants.

Graduate students at UIUC can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$15,186	$28,773
Fees for Full-Time Students	$3,038	$3,038
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$552	$1,025

In 2017-2018, UIUC reported having 5,627 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 2,786 were classified as teaching assistants, and 2,583 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending UCSB.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of California - Santa Barbara

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,502	$26,604
Fees for Full-Time Students	$2,067	$2,067
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

There were 2,045 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in the year of this report. Of that number, 1,409 were classified as teaching assistants, and 636 were classified as research assistants.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending CU - Boulder.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Colorado Boulder

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,160	$29,502
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,838	$1,838
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$620	$1,639

In a typical year, there are 2,669 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 1,420 were classified as teaching assistants, and 0 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending Ohio State.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Ohio State University - Main Campus

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,560	$33,032
Fees for Full-Time Students	$865	$865
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$723	$2,065

Across all programs, there were 4,229 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 2,035 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,903 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Graduate students at Harvard can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Harvard University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$44,816	$44,816
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,142	$1,142
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,401	$1,401

The school reported having 2,182 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 1,268 were classified as teaching assistants, and 867 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at MIT.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$49,580	$49,580
Fees for Full-Time Students	$3,312	$3,312
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$770	$770

Across all programs, there were 3,328 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 713 were classified as teaching assistants, and 2,615 were classified as research assistants.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending U of Michigan.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$22,368	$45,156
Fees for Full-Time Students	$328	$328
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,201	$2,467

The school reported having 3,898 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 1,972 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,881 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending UC Berkeley.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of California - Berkeley

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,502	$26,604
Fees for Full-Time Students	$2,668	$2,668
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

In 2017-2018, UC Berkeley reported having 4,694 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 3,148 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,546 were classified as research assistants.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending UT Austin.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at The University of Texas at Austin

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,490	$22,178
Fees for Full-Time Students	Not Reported	Not Reported
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$637	$1,169

There were 5,079 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in the year of this report. Of that number, 2,967 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,864 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at UMCP.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Maryland - College Park

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$12,294	$26,532
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,590	$1,590
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$683	$1,474

In a typical year, there are 4,109 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 2,929 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,180 were classified as research assistants.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending Caltech.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at California Institute of Technology

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$48,111	$48,111
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,674	$1,674
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$446	$446

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 980. Of that number, 253 were classified as teaching assistants, and 726 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending Texas A&M.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Texas A&M University - College Station

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$5,941	$16,461
Fees for Full-Time Students	$3,124	$3,124
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$272	$710

In 2017-2018, Texas A&M reported having 3,644 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 1,938 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,375 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Graduate students at University of Rochester can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Rochester

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$38,304	$38,304
Fees for Full-Time Students	$639	$639
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,596	$1,596

The school reported having 290 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 188 were classified as teaching assistants, and 102 were classified as research assistants.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending Arizona.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Arizona

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,486	$31,463
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,262	$1,262
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$820	$1,746

Across all programs, there were 2,743 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 1,867 were classified as teaching assistants, and 875 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Graduate students at Purdue can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Purdue University - Main Campus

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$9,208	$28,010
Fees for Full-Time Students	$784	$784
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$348	$948

In a typical year, there are 4,954 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 1,736 were classified as teaching assistants, and 2,856 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending UCSD.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of California - San Diego

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,502	$26,604
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,944	$1,944
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 4,120. Of that number, 2,394 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,402 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending UC Davis.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of California - Davis

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,502	$26,604
Fees for Full-Time Students	$2,105	$2,105
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

There were 4,247 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in the year of this report. Of that number, 2,253 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,289 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending Columbia.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Columbia University in the City of New York

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$44,864	$44,864
Fees for Full-Time Students	$2,092	$2,092
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,704	$1,704

In 2017-2018, Columbia reported having 2,805 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 1,869 were classified as teaching assistants, and 936 were classified as research assistants.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at Cornell.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Cornell University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$29,500	$29,500
Fees for Full-Time Students	$85	$85
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,410	$1,410

Across all programs, there were 2,579 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 1,486 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,093 were classified as research assistants.

Graduate students at U of H can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Houston

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$8,064	$17,334
Fees for Full-Time Students	$982	$982
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$448	$963

There were 2,209 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in the year of this report. Of that number, 1,452 were classified as teaching assistants, and 719 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending UMN Twin Cities.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$16,728	$25,884
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,504	$1,504
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,394	$2,157

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 5,560. Of that number, 2,063 were classified as teaching assistants, and 2,316 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending Duke.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Duke University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$51,480	$51,480
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,137	$1,137
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$2,990	$2,990

The school reported having 1,598 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 715 were classified as teaching assistants, and 883 were classified as research assistants.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at Penn State University Park.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Pennsylvania State University - University Park

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$20,732	$35,586
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,020	$1,020
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$864	$1,483

In a typical year, there are 3,592 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 2,746 were classified as teaching assistants, and 846 were classified as research assistants.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending UW Seattle.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$15,207	$27,255
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,065	$1,065
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$724	$1,298

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 2,670. Of that number, 1,017 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,574 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

A note on these rankings: The colleges above are ranked by the number of graduates in the program meaning the largest programs are at the top. While program popularity does not necessarily indicate quality, it does mean that many students are successfully graduating from the program, thus, making them worthwhile programs to consider.

References

National Center for Education Statistics
Image Credit: By A. T. Service under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported