Physical Sciences at Amherst College
In 2023, 38 of the 486 students who finished a bachelor's degree at Amherst College did so in physical sciences: 7.8% of the class and the 5th most common major on campus. Across all 2,440 reporting institutions the field accounts for 1.29% of bachelor's degrees; at Amherst College it is 6x that, far more concentrated. 47% of those graduates were women.
Is physical sciences competitive at Amherst College?
Colleges report one admission rate for the whole school; here is the bar you are actually measured against, and how the model treats this major.
Amherst College admitted 1,250 of 12,727 applicants for fall 2023 (9%), and the middle 50% of admitted students scored 1490 to 1580 on the SAT. Colleges report admissions at the school level, not by major, so there is no published acceptance rate for physical sciences at Amherst College. CollegeCalcAI's published model treats "Physics / Chemistry" as more competitive than Amherst College's overall rate (multiplier 0.98 on the effective admit rate), so an applicant declaring this field is scored against a slightly higher bar.
How to apply to Amherst College for physical sciences
What readers look for from applicants who declare this field, at any selectivity.
- Chemistry and physics at the highest level, with calculus
- A lab or research experience, even a small one, described specifically
- Math depth matters as much as science grades here
- Run your odds with the major set: your estimate at Amherst College for physical sciences →
Where else to study physical sciences
Other colleges in Massachusetts and at a similar selectivity that award bachelor's degrees in this field.
Every college ranked by physical sciences graduates: colleges that graduate the most physical sciences majors → · Physical Sciences colleges in Massachusetts →
More majors at Amherst College
The other fields Amherst College graduates the most students in, 2023.
Questions about physical sciences at Amherst College
How many students major in physical sciences at Amherst College?
38 students earned a bachelor's degree in physical sciences at Amherst College in 2023, 7.8% of that year's 486 graduates (IPEDS completions, first majors).
Is physical sciences competitive at Amherst College?
Amherst College admitted 1,250 of 12,727 applicants for fall 2023 (9%), and the middle 50% of admitted students scored 1490 to 1580 on the SAT. Colleges report admissions at the school level, not by major, so there is no published acceptance rate for physical sciences at Amherst College. CollegeCalcAI's published model treats "Physics / Chemistry" as more competitive than Amherst College's overall rate (multiplier 0.98 on the effective admit rate), so an applicant declaring this field is scored against a slightly higher bar.
What is the acceptance rate for physical sciences at Amherst College?
There is no official major-level acceptance rate; Amherst College reports one school-wide figure, 9%. Some programs (direct-admit nursing, engineering and business schools) select separately and can be more selective than the school overall. CollegeCalcAI's calculator applies its published per-major adjustment and shows your estimate for this school with the major set.
Is Amherst College known for physical sciences?
By output, physical sciences is the 5th most common field at Amherst College and far more concentrated there than at the average U.S. college (7.8% of graduates versus 1.29% nationally).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 Completions (bachelor's degrees, first majors, CIP 2-digit series). Admissions counts: IPEDS 2023. Built 2026-09-19. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are not predictions or guarantees.