Best Physics Schools Near Independence, KY (2026)

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

Independence, Kentucky has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs, with tuition ranging from $18,161 to $41,221 per year for indexed programs. Independence has a population of about 29,024. Median household income is $98,653 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area, the top-earning physics-related role is Physicists at a median $142,180 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Physics Schools to Independence

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer physics programs near Independence, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Independence 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 Independence. 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

Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY 5.1 miles from Independence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,384
Avg net price $21,835/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, KY 7.1 miles from Independence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,220
Avg net price $8,191/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Georgetown College

Georgetown, KY 51.4 miles from Independence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
50.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 91%
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,074
Avg net price $14,095/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,840
Out‑of‑state$42,840
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 38

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

#4

Transylvania University

Lexington, KY 62.1 miles from Independence
  • 4 year
56.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,705
Avg net price $21,913/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Morehead State University

Morehead, KY 80.1 miles from Independence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,197
Avg net price $9,793/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Bellarmine University

Louisville, KY 80.3 miles from Independence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,069
Avg net price $21,499/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of Louisville

Louisville, KY 82.8 miles from Independence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
59.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 79%
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,899
Avg net price $17,988/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,136
Out‑of‑state$29,482
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 133

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

#8

Eastern Kentucky University

Richmond, KY 84.7 miles from Independence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
52.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,795
Avg net price $11,040/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,320
Out‑of‑state$21,230
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 118

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

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

Physics Wages Near Independence

Independence is part of the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (BLS area code 17140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kentucky statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Physicists $142,180 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $149,036
Biochemists and Biophysicists $98,550 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $103,302
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $78,430 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $82,212
Mathematicians N/A KY statewide –
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $103,240 KY statewide $108,218
Engineers, All Other $127,150 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $133,281
Software Developers $121,420 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $127,275
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $66,190 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $69,382

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.

Independence at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 29,024 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $98,653 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 37.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 95.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Independence-Area Cities With Physics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited physics schools are near Independence, KY?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs near Independence. The closest is Thomas More University in Crestview Hills, KY (5.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Miami University-Oxford (39.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying physics roles near Independence?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying physics-related roles near Independence are: Physicists ($142,180), Engineers, All Other ($127,150), Software Developers ($121,420). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kentucky statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Florence instead of Independence?

Florence, KY is 5.9 miles from Independence 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 Independence an affordable place to study physics?

Independence’s median household income of $98,653 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Independence while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kentucky 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 Independence

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

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 Kentucky: Online Programs (2026)