Engineering Physics: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Engineering Physics is a rigorous, interdisciplinary field that bridges advanced theoretical physics with practical engineering applications. This program equips students with the analytical and technical skills to tackle complex challenges at the intersection of physical science and technological innovation.
- High- and low-temperature phenomena: Explores the behavior of matter and energy under extreme thermal conditions, essential for advancements in cryogenics, material science, and quantum systems.
- Computational physics: Applies numerical algorithms and high-performance computing to model and solve complex physical systems that are analytically intractable.
- Superconductivity: Investigates materials that exhibit zero electrical resistance at low temperatures, with applications in magnetic resonance imaging, energy transmission, and quantum computing.
- Applied thermodynamics: Focuses on energy conversion, heat transfer, and efficiency optimization in real-world engineering systems, from propulsion to power generation.
- Molecular and particle physics applications: Examines the fundamental interactions at atomic and subatomic scales and their implementation in advanced materials, sensors, and medical technologies.
- Space science research: Engages with the physical principles governing space environments, orbital mechanics, and the design of systems for exploration and satellite technology.
Engineering Physics Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Engineering Physics Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Engineering Physics degrees, including Architectural and Engineering Managers, Physicists and Natural Sciences Managers. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 523,210 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers 11-9041 | $167,740 | $111,450 - $239,200 | 210,340 | $80.64 |
| Physicists 19-2012 | $166,290 | $80,020 - $239,200 | 21,340 | $79.95 |
| Natural Sciences Managers 11-9121 | $161,180 | $79,830 - $239,200 | 100,870 | $77.49 |
| Engineers, All Other 17-2199 | $117,750 | $62,840 - $183,510 | 150,750 | $56.61 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1032 | $106,120 | $59,790 - $200,650 | 39,910 | N/A |
Engineering Physics Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $107,040 in South Dakota to $168,956 in California—a 58% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 523,210 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Engineering Physics by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Engineering Physics programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Engineering Physics is found at Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Graduate School of Engineering & Management (94 graduates), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) (87 graduates), Colorado School of Mines (83 graduates), Cornell University (52 graduates), and Columbia University in the City of New York (46 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 1,041 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
94 | Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio | Public | afit.edu |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) |
Bachelor's
|
87 | Champaign, Illinois | Public | illinois.edu |
| Colorado School of Mines |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
83 | Golden, Colorado | Public | mines.edu |
| Cornell University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
52 | Ithaca, New York | Private | cornell.edu |
| Columbia University in the City of New York |
Bachelor's
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
46 | New York, New York | Private | columbia.edu |
| California Institute of Technology (Caltech) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
41 | Pasadena, California | Private | caltech.edu |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
31 | Daytona Beach, Florida | Private | daytonabeach.erau.edu |
| Harvard University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
29 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| University of Oregon (UO) |
Master's
|
28 | Eugene, Oregon | Public | uoregon.edu |
| University of Colorado Boulder (CU) |
Bachelor's
|
23 | Boulder, Colorado | Public | colorado.edu |
| Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
22 | Monterey, California | Public | nps.edu |
| Murray State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
|
22 | Murray, Kentucky | Public | murraystate.edu |
| Yale University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
20 | New Haven, Connecticut | Private | yale.edu |
| Tulane University of Louisiana |
Bachelor's
|
19 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Private | tulane.edu |
| Rice University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
19 | Houston, Texas | Private | rice.edu |
| Ohio State University |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Columbus, Ohio | Public | osu.edu |
| Biola University |
Bachelor's
|
17 | La Mirada, California | Private | biola.edu |
| Fordham University |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Bronx, New York | Private | fordham.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| Siena College |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Loudonville, New York | Private | siena.edu |
| Lansing Community College (LCC) |
Associate's
|
14 | Lansing, Michigan | Public | lcc.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Platteville |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Platteville, Wisconsin | Public | uwplatt.edu |
| Delaware State University (DSU) |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Dover, Delaware | Public | desu.edu |
| University of California (UCB) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Berkeley, California | Public | berkeley.edu |
| Augustana College |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Rock Island, Illinois | Private | augustana.edu |
| Michigan Technological University (MTU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
11 | Houghton, Michigan | Public | mtu.edu |
| Florida Polytechnic University (Florida Poly) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Lakeland, Florida | Public | floridapoly.edu |
| University of California (UCSD) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | La Jolla, California | Public | ucsd.edu |
| Northwestern University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | Evanston, Illinois | Private | northwestern.edu |
| Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Cape Girardeau, Missouri | Public | semo.edu |
| Marian University |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Private | marian.edu |
| Hampden-Sydney College (H‑SC) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Hampden-Sydney, Virginia | Private | hsc.edu |
| Carroll University |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Waukesha, Wisconsin | Private | carrollu.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| New Mexico State University (NMSU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Las Cruces, New Mexico | Public | nmsu.edu |
| CUNY New York City College of Technology (NYCCT) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Brooklyn, New York | Public | citytech.cuny.edu |
| Snow College |
Associate's
|
6 | Ephraim, Utah | Public | snow.edu |
| University of Connecticut (UConn) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Storrs, Connecticut | Public | uconn.edu |
| Morehouse College |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Atlanta, Georgia | Private | morehouse.edu |
| University of Chicago (UChicago) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | uchicago.edu |
| Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (RHIT) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Terre Haute, Indiana | Private | rose-hulman.edu |
| Morgan State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | morgan.edu |
| Boston University (BU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | bu.edu |
| Tufts University |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Medford, Massachusetts | Private | tufts.edu |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
5 | Worcester, Massachusetts | Private | wpi.edu |
| Kettering University |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Flint, Michigan | Private | kettering.edu |
| John Carroll University (JCU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | University Heights, Ohio | Private | jcu.edu |
| University of Oklahoma (OU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
5 | Norman, Oklahoma | Public | ou.edu |
| Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Weatherford, Oklahoma | Public | swosu.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| University of Central Arkansas (UCA) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Conway, Arkansas | Public | uca.edu |
| Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) |
Master's
|
4 | New Haven, Connecticut | Public | southernct.edu |
| Goshen College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Goshen, Indiana | Private | goshen.edu |
| University of Kansas (KU) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Lawrence, Kansas | Public | ku.edu |
| Ithaca College (IC) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Ithaca, New York | Private | ithaca.edu |
| Queens University of Charlotte |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Private | queens.edu |
| Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Cleveland, Ohio | Private | case.edu |
| Miami University |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Oxford, Ohio | Public | miamioh.edu |
| Linfield University |
Bachelor's
|
4 | McMinnville, Oregon | Private | linfield.edu |
| Belmont University |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | belmont.edu |
| University of Memphis (UofM) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Memphis, Tennessee | Public | memphis.edu |
| Stephen F Austin State University (SFASU) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Nacogdoches, Texas | Public | sfasu.edu |
| Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Arkadelphia, Arkansas | Private | obu.edu |
| Santa Clara University (SCU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Santa Clara, California | Private | scu.edu |
| Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
3 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | iit.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMD) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Duluth, Minnesota | Public | d.umn.edu |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Moorhead, Minnesota | Public | mnstate.edu |
| New York University (NYU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | New York, New York | Private | nyu.edu |
| Juniata College |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Huntingdon, Pennsylvania | Private | juniata.edu |
| Austin Peay State University (APSU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Clarksville, Tennessee | Public | apsu.edu |
| Randolph-Macon College (RMC) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Ashland, Virginia | Private | rmc.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| Samford University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Birmingham, Alabama | Private | samford.edu |
| Westmont College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Santa Barbara, California | Private | westmont.edu |
| Whittier College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Whittier, California | Private | whittier.edu |
| Simpson College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Indianola, Iowa | Private | simpson.edu |
| University of Maine (UMaine) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Orono, Maine | Public | umaine.edu |
| Eastern Nazarene College (ENC) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Quincy, Massachusetts | Private | enc.edu |
| Albion College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Albion, Michigan | Private | albion.edu |
| Hamline University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Private | hamline.edu |
| University of New Hampshire (UNH) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Durham, New Hampshire | Public | unh.edu |
| Stevens Institute of Technology |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
2 | Hoboken, New Jersey | Private | stevens.edu |
| University at Buffalo (UB) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Buffalo, New York | Public | buffalo.edu |
| Elon University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Elon, North Carolina | Private | elon.edu |
| University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
2 | Edmond, Oklahoma | Public | uco.edu |
| Trevecca Nazarene University (TNU) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | trevecca.edu |
| University of St Thomas |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Houston, Texas | Private | stthom.edu |
| Trinity University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | San Antonio, Texas | Private | new.trinity.edu |
| Randolph College (RC) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Lynchburg, Virginia | Private | randolphcollege.edu |
| Northern Arizona University (NAU) |
Master's
|
1 | Flagstaff, Arizona | Public | nau.edu |
| Arkansas Tech University (ATU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Russellville, Arkansas | Public | atu.edu |
| Loyola Marymount University (LMU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Los Angeles, California | Private | lmu.edu |
| University of the Pacific (UOP) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Stockton, California | Private | pacific.edu |
| Oglethorpe University |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Atlanta, Georgia | Private | oglethorpe.edu |
| Piedmont University |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Demorest, Georgia | Private | piedmont.edu |
| Anderson University |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Anderson, Indiana | Private | anderson.edu |
| Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) |
Associate's
|
1 | Gardner, Massachusetts | Public | mwcc.edu |
| Saint Louis University (SLU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | slu.edu |
| Washington University in St Louis (WashU) |
Postbac Cert.
|
1 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | wustl.edu |
| Dartmouth College |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Hanover, New Hampshire | Private | dartmouth.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Engineering Physics programs
How much can I earn with a Engineering Physics degree?
Salaries for Engineering Physics graduates vary by role and location. Architectural and Engineering Managers earn a median of $167,740 annually, while Physicists earn around $166,290. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $168,956 compared to $107,040 in South Dakota. Approximately 523,210 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Engineering Physics programs?
Currently 108 accredited institutions offer Engineering Physics degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Graduate School of Engineering & Management (94 graduates), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) (87 graduates), and Colorado School of Mines (83 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Engineering Physics growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 590 in 2010 to 1,049 in 2023-24. This represents a 78% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Engineering Physics degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Architectural and Engineering Managers, Physicists, and Natural Sciences Managers. Related occupations employ approximately 523,210 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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