How does United States rank in Physics and Astronomy research?

The United States ranks #2 of 79 countries on research quality in Physics and Astronomy (2022–2025), with 87k works.

Field · Physics and Astronomy · United States

Physics and Astronomy research in United States

Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranks first in United States for Physics and Astronomy research in 2022–2025 (#1 worldwide), followed by Princeton University and Stanford University.

United States's world rank: #2
Works, 2022–2025: 87k
Top-10% rate: 21.3%
Ranked institutions: 60

Research strength only: this says nothing about teaching, admissions or cost.

What is the best university for Physics and Astronomy in United States?

#	Institution	World rank	Score	Top-10% rate	Works
1	Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge	#1	100.0	37.7%	1,318
2	Princeton UniversityPrinceton	#5	78.3	40.1%	1,031
3	Stanford UniversityStanford	#6	75.8	29.9%	1,027
4	California Institute of TechnologyPasadena	#7	73.7	34.4%	1,145
5	Harvard UniversityCambridge	#11	67.6	39.6%	617
6	University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley	#20	59.5	21.7%	1,589
7	University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara	#23	57.7	29.8%	612
8	Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeley	#25	56.5	29.7%	848
9	University of ChicagoChicago	#28	55.0	33.0%	774
10	Yale UniversityNew Haven	#29	54.5	29.3%	553
11	University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUrbana	#31	53.6	27.3%	824
12	Columbia UniversityNew York	#32	53.2	32.9%	612
13	University of WashingtonSeattle	#33	52.8	28.9%	738
14	University of California San DiegoSan Diego	#39	50.5	30.1%	684
15	University of Maryland, College ParkCollege Park	#40	50.2	30.0%	854
16	University of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles	#42	49.5	23.0%	993
17	University of MichiganAnn Arbor	#45	48.6	23.3%	1,028
18	Cornell UniversityIthaca	#47	48.0	24.8%	748
19	Pennsylvania State UniversityState College	#48	47.7	25.1%	776
20	National Institute of Standards and TechnologyGaithersburg	#50	47.2	20.0%	418
21	University of Colorado BoulderBoulder	#52	46.7	25.1%	811
22	Los Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos	#57	45.4	20.4%	1,164
23	University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia	#63	44.1	29.4%	362
24	Purdue University West LafayetteWest Lafayette	#67	43.2	12.3%	1,099
25	Stony Brook UniversityStony Brook	#71	42.4	33.8%	556
26	The University of Texas at AustinAustin	#77	41.3	26.9%	741
27	Argonne National LaboratoryLemont	#79	41.0	24.3%	596
28	Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore	#83	40.3	32.0%	533
29	Oak Ridge National LaboratoryOak Ridge	#85	40.0	19.2%	767
30	University of ArizonaTucson	#88	39.5	20.4%	1,025
31	Flatiron Health (United States)New York	#90	39.2	49.8%	277
32	Brookhaven National LaboratoryUpton	#103	37.4	33.5%	577
33	Duke UniversityDurham	#105	37.2	26.3%	321
34	The Ohio State UniversityColumbus	#108	36.8	26.0%	652
35	SLAC National Accelerator LaboratoryMenlo Park	#113	36.2	27.1%	372
36	University of RochesterRochester	#115	35.9	22.5%	438
37	Northwestern UniversityEvanston	#117	35.7	31.9%	426
38	University of Wisconsin–MadisonMadison	#120	35.4	28.3%	755
39	Rice UniversityHouston	#129	34.4	28.0%	293
40	University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles	#140	33.3	20.8%	352
41	New York UniversityNew York	#141	33.2	32.7%	379
42	University of Tennessee at KnoxvilleKnoxville	#153	32.1	20.8%	368
43	Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLivermore	#160	31.5	22.8%	684
44	University of MinnesotaMinneapolis	#171	30.6	27.0%	442
45	Washington University in St. LouisSt Louis	#173	30.4	20.6%	330
46	Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing	#175	30.3	18.4%	828
47	University of California, IrvineIrvine	#180	29.9	24.0%	406
48	Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyNew Brunswick	#185	29.5	25.0%	326
49	Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlanta	#207	28.0	16.4%	569
50	University of Central FloridaOrlando	#209	27.9	13.0%	367
51	Center for Astrophysics Harvard & SmithsonianCambridge	#222	27.0	14.8%	1,082
52	University of California, DavisDavis	#224	26.9	13.1%	728
53	Arizona State UniversityTempe	#225	26.9	22.6%	512
54	University of California SystemOakland	#235	26.3	47.8%	206
55	Fermi National Accelerator LaboratoryBatavia	#236	26.2	19.6%	806
56	Joint Quantum InstituteCollege Park	#239	26.0	32.2%	132
57	University of California, Santa CruzSanta Cruz	#244	25.8	31.1%	386
58	University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherst Center	#245	25.7	21.5%	298
59	Institute for Advanced StudyPrinceton	#246	25.7	50.4%	235
60	Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station	#258	25.0	21.3%	532

Institutions in United States above the floor of 40 fractional works in Physics and Astronomy, ordered by their worldwide rank on research quality, 2022–2025.

Who are the top Physics and Astronomy researchers in United States?

E. L. Wright, Edward J. Wollack and David N. Spergel rank highest among researchers based in United States.

1E. L. Wright#13 worldwide overall9.3k citations · 181 works
2Edward J. Wollack#83 worldwide overall7.2k citations · 209 works
3David N. Spergel#104 worldwide overall7.9k citations · 234 works
4W. H. Bell#146 worldwide overall5.5k citations · 187 works
5A. J. Lowe#192 worldwide overall5.4k citations · 197 works
6J. Šolc#253 worldwide overall4.8k citations · 185 works
7Donald G. Truhlar#255 worldwide overall8.4k citations · 165 works
8G. Volpi#278 worldwide overall5k citations · 193 works
9K. Bos#306 worldwide overall5.2k citations · 208 works
10S. Ferrag#312 worldwide overall5.2k citations · 175 works
11C. P. Bee#325 worldwide overall5.2k citations · 192 works
12R. Perrino#326 worldwide overall5k citations · 201 works
13B. Di Girolamo#329 worldwide overall4.7k citations · 174 works
14E. J. Gallas#334 worldwide overall5.4k citations · 221 works
15J. Tseng#348 worldwide overall5k citations · 180 works

How United States compares with other countries in Physics and Astronomy