Best universities for Physics and astronomy (2026)

51 UK universities teaching Physics and astronomy as a full-time degree, ranked on graduate pay, jobs, student satisfaction, students staying on and entry points.

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#	University	Score	Salary 5 yrs on	Working or studying	Satisfied	Typical UCAS
1	University of Oxford Oxford, South East · TEF Gold	67	£56.5k	88%	82%	224
2	Imperial College London Westminster, London · TEF Gold	66	£59k	91%	79%	216
3	University of St Andrews Scotland	66	£39.5k	95%	93%	232
4	University of Durham County Durham, North East · TEF Silver	63	£44k	90%	91%	216
5	University of Lancaster Lancaster, North West · TEF Gold	61	£37k	91%	92%	168
6	Queen's University Belfast Northern Ireland	60	—	90%	89%	168
7	University of Birmingham Birmingham, West Midlands · TEF Silver	59	£43.5k	84%	91%	184
8	University of Exeter Exeter, South West · TEF Gold	57	£40k	90%	86%	152
9	UCL Camden, London · TEF Silver	56	£50.5k	80%	81%	200
10	University of Bristol Bristol, City of, South West · TEF Silver	56	£43.5k	88%	81%	184
11	University of Warwick Coventry, West Midlands · TEF Gold	56	£42k	76%	89%	176
12	University of Nottingham Nottingham, East Midlands · TEF Silver	56	£38.5k	93%	90%	136
13	University of Bath Bath and North East Somerset, South West · TEF Gold	55	£46.5k	76%	83%	184
14	University of Surrey Guildford, South East · TEF Silver	55	£41k	90%	91%	120
15	University of Leeds Leeds, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Silver	55	£37k	91%	90%	136
16	Loughborough University Charnwood, East Midlands · TEF Gold	55	£36k	85%	93%	136
17	University of Liverpool Liverpool, North West · TEF Gold	55	£36k	90%	87%	136
18	Nottingham Trent University Nottingham, East Midlands · TEF Gold	54	£32k	95%	95%	88
19	University of Leicester Leicester, East Midlands · TEF Gold	53	£34.5k	85%	92%	120
20	University of Sheffield Sheffield, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Silver	52	£38.5k	85%	87%	152
21	University of York York, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Gold	51	£37.5k	85%	82%	136
22	University of Newcastle Upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne, North East · TEF Silver	51	£33.5k	88%	88%	136
23	University of Manchester Manchester, North West · TEF Silver	50	£42.5k	80%	77%	184
24	University of Southampton Southampton, South East · TEF Silver	50	£38k	88%	83%	152
25	University of Dundee Scotland	50	£34.5k	90%	82%	168
26	University of Strathclyde Scotland	50	£32.5k	90%	90%	168
27	University of Glasgow Scotland	49	£37k	86%	77%	216
28	Royal Holloway, University of London Runnymede, South East · TEF Silver	49	£36.5k	85%	89%	104
29	Cardiff University Cardiff, Wales	49	£36k	78%	87%	144
30	University of Plymouth Plymouth, South West · TEF Gold	49	£32k	80%	94%	104
31	King's College London Westminster, London · TEF Silver	48	£45.5k	75%	79%	152
32	University of Sussex Brighton and Hove, South East · TEF Silver	48	£42.5k	85%	81%	120
33	University of Aberdeen Scotland	47	£31.5k	80%	90%	168
34	University of Hull Kingston upon Hull, City of, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Gold	47	£31k	80%	89%	104
35	University of Portsmouth Portsmouth, South East · TEF Gold	46	£33k	75%	89%	104
36	University of Hertfordshire Welwyn Hatfield, East of England · TEF Silver	45	£40.5k	65%	92%	120
37	Queen Mary University of London Tower Hamlets, London · TEF Silver	45	£39.5k	75%	85%	120
38	University of Salford Salford, North West · TEF Silver	45	£34k	90%	83%	96
39	University of Central Lancashire Preston, North West · TEF Silver	45	£26.5k	90%	92%	104
40	University of Edinburgh Scotland	44	£37.5k	80%	73%	200
41	Swansea University Swansea, Wales	44	£32k	75%	95%	104
42	University of Northumbria at Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne, North East · TEF Silver	44	£26.5k	90%	93%	104
43	Heriot-Watt University Scotland	43	£32k	90%	88%	120
44	University of East Anglia Norwich, East of England · TEF Silver	42	£31.5k	85%	79%	120
45	Aberystwyth University Ceredigion, Wales	42	£29k	90%	82%	104
46	University of Keele Newcastle-under-Lyme, West Midlands · TEF Gold	41	£30.5k	70%	94%	88
47	University of Lincoln Lincoln, East Midlands · TEF Gold	40	£25k	80%	87%	88
48	University of Kent (Part of London and South East University Group) Canterbury, South East · TEF Silver	39	£36.5k	75%	78%	104
49	Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Gold	39	£30k	80%	81%	88
50	University of the West of Scotland Scotland	38	£27k	90%	87%	152

How the score works: universities are compared within each subject on salary five years after graduating (27%), the share in work or further study (18%), student satisfaction (18%), students staying on (13.5%), typical UCAS points (13.5%, compared within each nation) and the TEF rating (10%, England). 50 is typical. Figures: Discover Uni (Office for Students, HESA), National Student Survey, Graduate Outcomes, HMRC LEO earnings; full-time first degrees.

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Questions

What is the best university for Physics and astronomy?

On our measures University of Oxford ranks first for Physics and astronomy, followed by Imperial College London, University of St Andrews, University of Durham. Rankings depend on what matters to you, so compare pay, jobs and satisfaction.

Which university's Physics and astronomy graduates earn the most?

Imperial College London: typical earnings of £59k five years after graduating (HMRC tax records).