Best Physics Schools Near Columbus, GA (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Columbus, Georgia has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs, with tuition ranging from $6,088 to $34,922 per year for indexed programs. Columbus has a population of about 204,383. Median household income is $56,622 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Georgia, the top-earning physics-related role is Physicists at a median $144,870 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Physics Schools to Columbus

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer physics programs near Columbus, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Columbus city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Columbus. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

University of West Georgia

Carrollton, GA 74.6 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
51.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 52%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,587
Avg net price $12,786/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,088
Out‑of‑state$17,800
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 64

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Mercer University

Macon, GA 74.7 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,354
Avg net price $23,847/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 114

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Morehouse College

Atlanta, GA 89.5 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,889
Avg net price $39,013/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Spelman College

Atlanta, GA 89.5 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,993
Avg net price $38,967/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Clark Atlanta University

Atlanta, GA 89.6 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
26.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,712
Avg net price $37,702/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA 90.4 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,384
Avg net price $15,931/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 133

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Atlanta, GA 91.6 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
95.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $102,772
Avg net price $12,116/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 64

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Agnes Scott College

Decatur, GA 93.3 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,274
Avg net price $24,754/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Georgia schools on the Georgia physics page.

Physics Wages Near Columbus

Columbus is part of the Columbus, GA-AL metro area (BLS area code 17980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Georgia statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Physicists $144,870 GA statewide $162,228
Biochemists and Biophysicists $85,680 GA statewide $95,946
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $101,580 GA statewide $113,751
Mathematicians N/A GA statewide –
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $96,820 GA statewide $108,421
Engineers, All Other $118,770 Columbus, GA-AL $133,001
Software Developers $116,150 Columbus, GA-AL $130,067
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $62,540 Columbus, GA-AL $70,034

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Columbus at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 204,383 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $56,622 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 29.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 89.3 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Columbus-Area Cities With Physics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited physics schools are near Columbus, GA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs near Columbus. The closest is Auburn University in Auburn, AL (36.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Morehouse College (89.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying physics roles near Columbus?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying physics-related roles near Columbus are: Physicists ($144,870), Engineers, All Other ($118,770), Software Developers ($116,150). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Georgia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Phenix City instead of Columbus?

Phenix City, AL is 9.3 miles from Columbus and has its own set of local physics programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Columbus an affordable place to study physics?

Columbus’s median household income of $56,622 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbus while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Georgia public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Physics Programs

Other Programs Available in Columbus

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Columbus:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Physics Schools in Georgia: Online Programs (2026)