Best Physics Schools Near Ames, IA (2026)

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

Ames, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs. Ames has a population of about 66,112. Median household income is $60,102 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 63.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning physics-related role is Physicists at a median $178,110 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Physics Schools to Ames

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer physics programs near Ames, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ames 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 Ames. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

Sort:
#1

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 1.1 miles from Ames
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,386
Avg net price $18,589/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 169

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Physics Wages Near Ames

Ames is part of the Ames, IA metro area (BLS area code 11180). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Physicists $178,110 IA statewide $200,574
Biochemists and Biophysicists $101,090 IA statewide $113,840
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $104,270 IA statewide $117,421
Mathematicians N/A IA statewide –
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $76,850 IA statewide $86,543
Engineers, All Other $95,260 Ames, IA $107,275
Software Developers $129,440 Ames, IA $145,766
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $63,450 Ames, IA $71,453

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.

Ames at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 66,112 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $60,102 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 63.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 88.8 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Ames-Area Cities With Physics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited physics schools are near Ames, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs near Ames. The closest is Iowa State University in Ames, IA (1.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Central College (56.4 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying physics roles near Ames?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying physics-related roles near Ames are: Physicists ($178,110), Software Developers ($129,440), Physics Teachers, Postsecondary ($104,270). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Iowa statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Ankeny instead of Ames?

Ankeny, IA is 20.6 miles from Ames 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 Ames an affordable place to study physics?

Ames’s median household income of $60,102 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ames while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa 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 Ames

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

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 Iowa: Online Programs (2026)