Physical Sciences at Columbia University
Physical Sciences is the 11th most common field at Columbia University: 84 graduates in 2023, or 3.5% of everyone who completed a bachelor's degree there that year. Nationally, 1.29% of bachelor's degrees are in this field, so it is far more concentrated at Columbia University (2.7x the national share). 46% of those graduates were women.
Is physical sciences competitive at Columbia University?
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.
Columbia University admitted 2,439 of 57,613 applicants for fall 2023 (4%), and the middle 50% of admitted students scored 1510 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 Columbia University. CollegeCalcAI's published model treats "Physics / Chemistry" as more competitive than Columbia University'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 Columbia University 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 Columbia University for physical sciences →
Where else to study physical sciences
Other colleges in New York 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 New York →
More majors at Columbia University
The other fields Columbia University graduates the most students in, 2023.
Questions about physical sciences at Columbia University
How many students major in physical sciences at Columbia University?
84 students earned a bachelor's degree in physical sciences at Columbia University in 2023, 3.5% of that year's 2,433 graduates (IPEDS completions, first majors).
Is physical sciences competitive at Columbia University?
Columbia University admitted 2,439 of 57,613 applicants for fall 2023 (4%), and the middle 50% of admitted students scored 1510 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 Columbia University. CollegeCalcAI's published model treats "Physics / Chemistry" as more competitive than Columbia University'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 Columbia University?
There is no official major-level acceptance rate; Columbia University reports one school-wide figure, 4%. 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 Columbia University known for physical sciences?
By output, physical sciences is the 11th most common field at Columbia University and far more concentrated there than at the average U.S. college (3.5% 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.