Engineering Physics
What you'll do in college
This is engineering for students who love physics and physics for students who love building. Coursework dives deep into classical mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics, alongside engineering math, materials, and design. Many programs are small and cohort-based, with lots of contact between students and faculty researchers.
Senior projects often happen inside a research lab, involving things like lasers, plasma, particle accelerators, or advanced simulation.
What you'll do after college
Grads work at national labs, defense contractors, semiconductor companies, aerospace firms, research institutes, and quant finance shops that prize strong analytical skills. Many pursue PhDs because the major is excellent preparation for cutting-edge research in physics, materials, or applied math.
Day-to-day work tends to be technical and quantitative, mixing theory, simulation, and experiment. Pay is comparable to other engineering paths, especially after grad school.
Famous graduates
- George Pake — Physicist who helped found Xerox PARC; B.S./M.S. in Engineering Physics from Carnegie Mellon
- Paul McEuen — Prominent nanoscale physicist; B.S. in Engineering Physics from University of Oklahoma
Selectivity vs. earnings
By acceptance rate
By SAT median
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | 5yr Earn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Physics | 103 | 662 | 74% / 26% | 7% | $109,436 |
| Engineering Physics | 91 | 517 | 74% / 26% | 6% | $109,741 |
| Optical Engineering | 1 | 40 | 65% / 35% | 28% | $100,661 |
| Photonic Science and Engineering | 1 | 37 | 65% / 35% | 3% | $95,668 |
| Engineering Science | 1 | 25 | 72% / 28% | 16% | $102,160 |
| Applied Physics (Engineering Physics) | 5 | 23 | 78% / 22% | 9% | $149,038 |
| Laser and Optical Engineering | 1 | 9 | 78% / 22% | 0% | $106,535 |
| Imaging Science | 1 | 7 | 71% / 29% | 0% | |
| Photonics and Optical Engineering | 1 | 3 | 100% / 0% | 0% | |
| Applied Physics | 1 | 1 | 100% / 0% | 0% |