Physics, General

CIP Code: 40.0801

A physics, general degree prepares graduates for careers in Physicists, Natural sciences managers, Physics teachers, postsecondary and more. 796 colleges and universities offer this program.

Annual Degrees Awarded
11,944
Colleges Offering 796
Avg. Career Salary $122,353
Top Career Salary $166,290

What Can You Do With a Physics, General Degree?

Graduates with this degree pursue careers in the following fields:

Physicists

$166,290 +4.0% growth

Natural sciences managers

$161,180 +3.7% growth

Physics teachers, postsecondary

$97,360 +2.5% growth

Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

$64,580 -1.6% growth
$122,353
Average Salary Across Careers
$166,290
Highest Paying Career
4
Career Paths Available

Best Colleges for Physics, General

Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees awarded. These are the top-rated colleges that produce the most graduates in physics, general.

# College Location Degrees Awarded Repit Grade
1 University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 150 A+
2 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 93 A+
3 University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 213 A
4 University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA 174 A
5 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 133 A
6 University of Chicago Chicago, IL 120 A
7 Harvard University Cambridge, MA 113 A
8 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 102 A
9 Yale University New Haven, CT 96 A
10 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 96 A
11 Brown University Providence, RI 94 A
12 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 87 A
13 Cornell University Ithaca, NY 84 A
14 Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, GA 81 A
15 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD 77 A
16 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY 74 A
17 University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA 74 A
18 University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA 73 A
19 Princeton University Princeton, NJ 64 A
20 Stanford University Stanford, CA 64 A
21 New York University New York, NY 60 A
22 University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA 58 A
23 California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA 58 A
24 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 53 A
25 Northwestern University Evanston, IL 49 A
26 William & Mary Williamsburg, VA 48 A
27 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN 48 A
28 Rice University Houston, TX 43 A
29 Washington University in St Louis Saint Louis, MO 40 A
30 Duke University Durham, NC 36 A

Largest Physics, General Programs

Schools ranked by number of graduates. These institutions produce the most physics, general graduates annually, including online and distance learning programs.

# College Location Degrees Awarded Repit Grade
1 University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 213 A
2 University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA 174 A
3 University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA 166 B+
4 University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO 152 B
5 University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 150 A+
6 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 133 A
7 University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI 128 B+
8 University of Chicago Chicago, IL 120 A
9 Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH 119 B+
10 Harvard University Cambridge, MA 113 A
11 University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD 110 B+
12 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 102 A
13 Yale University New Haven, CT 96 A
14 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 96 A
15 Brown University Providence, RI 94 A
16 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 93 A+
17 Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN 93 B+
18 Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY 91 B+
19 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 91 B
20 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 87 A
21 Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA 85 B+
22 Cornell University Ithaca, NY 84 A
23 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL 84 B+
24 Irvine Valley College Irvine, CA 83 C
25 University of California-Riverside Riverside, CA 82 B
26 Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, GA 81 A
27 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD 77 A
28 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY 74 A
29 University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA 74 A
30 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN 74 B+
11,944
Degrees Awarded Annually
796
Colleges Offering Program
4
Related Careers

About Physics, General

Physics, General is a degree program offered at 796 colleges and universities across the United States. Each year, approximately 11,944 students graduate with this degree.

Graduates with this degree can pursue careers such as physicists, natural sciences managers, physics teachers, postsecondary, secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education.

Program Classification

CIP Code 40.0801
Field (2-digit CIP) 40
Category (4-digit CIP) 40.08

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do with a Physics, General degree?
A Physics, General degree can lead to careers as a physicists, natural sciences managers, physics teachers, postsecondary, secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, and more. Top earners in related careers can make up to $166,290 annually.
How many colleges offer Physics, General?
796 colleges and universities in the United States offer Physics, General as a degree program. Each year, approximately 11,944 students graduate with this degree.
What are the best colleges for Physics, General?
The best colleges for Physics, General based on Repit's ratings include University of California-Los Angeles, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of California-Santa Barbara, University of California-Berkeley, The University of Texas at Austin. Rankings are based on the college's overall Repit grade and the number of degrees awarded in this program.
What is the salary potential with a Physics, General degree?
Graduates with a Physics, General degree can expect average salaries around $122,353 in related careers, with top earners making up to $166,290. Actual salaries depend on the specific career path, experience level, and location.