Best Physics Schools Near Olean, NY (2026)

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

Olean, New York has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs, with tuition ranging from $8,831 to $57,445 per year for indexed programs. Olean has a population of about 13,798. Median household income is $47,553 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In New York, the top-earning physics-related role is Physicists at a median $181,970 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Physics Schools to Olean

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

Houghton University

Houghton, NY 27.7 miles from Olean
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,721
Avg net price $20,519/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Alfred University

Alfred, NY 35.1 miles from Olean
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
42.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,897
Avg net price $25,620/yr
Tuition
In‑state$41,500
Out‑of‑state$41,500
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

SUNY at Fredonia

Fredonia, NY 52.9 miles from Olean
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,247
Avg net price $15,897/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,831
Out‑of‑state$19,771
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 70

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

SUNY College at Geneseo

Geneseo, NY 58.4 miles from Olean
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
77.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 66%
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,316
Avg net price $18,211/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,999
Out‑of‑state$19,569
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Canisius University

Buffalo, NY 62.1 miles from Olean
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,681
Avg net price $17,940/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY 66.1 miles from Olean
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
75.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,814
Avg net price $20,995/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,936
Out‑of‑state$31,536
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 193

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY 79.3 miles from Olean
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
70.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,571
Avg net price $34,906/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 128

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

SUNY Brockport

Brockport, NY 81.9 miles from Olean
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
62.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,496
Avg net price $16,353/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,752
Out‑of‑state$15,822
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Physics Wages Near Olean

Occupation Median Annual Wage (New York, statewide)
Physicists $181,970
Biochemists and Biophysicists $101,080
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $103,100
Mathematicians $126,950
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $117,540
Engineers, All Other $117,600
Software Developers $166,180
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $97,070

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.

Olean at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 13,798 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $47,553 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 29.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Olean-Area Cities With Physics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited physics schools are near Olean, NY?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs near Olean. The closest is Houghton University in Houghton, NY (27.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Canisius University (62.1 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying physics roles in New York?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying physics-related roles in New York are: Physicists ($181,970), Software Developers ($166,180), Mathematicians ($126,950). Wages for Olean workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Jamestown instead of Olean?

Jamestown, NY is 41.3 miles from Olean 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 Olean an affordable place to study physics?

Olean’s median household income of $47,553 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Olean while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New York 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 Olean

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

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 New York: Online Programs (2026)