Best Physics Schools Near Ponca City, OK (2026)

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

Ponca City, Oklahoma has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs, with tuition ranging from $7,750 to $28,290 per year for indexed programs. Ponca City has a population of about 24,377. Median household income is $55,270 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Oklahoma, the top-earning physics-related role is Physicists at a median $200,050 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Physics Schools to Ponca City

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

Oklahoma State University-Main Campus

Stillwater, OK 41.5 miles from Ponca City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
68.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 75%
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,413
Avg net price $17,447/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,234
Out‑of‑state$25,754
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 166

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK 73.8 miles from Ponca City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
78.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,408
Avg net price $15,000/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Rogers State University

Claremore, OK 84.2 miles from Ponca City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
35.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,166
Avg net price $15,314/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,750
Out‑of‑state$16,410
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Rose State College

Midwest City, OK 90.5 miles from Ponca City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
31.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 20%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,555
Avg net price $12,148/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,030
Out‑of‑state$11,407
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Oklahoma Baptist University

Shawnee, OK 94.5 miles from Ponca City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
43.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 49%
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,434
Avg net price $20,958/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,570
Out‑of‑state$35,570
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

Norman, OK 106.7 miles from Ponca City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
78.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,126
Avg net price $15,300/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,797
Out‑of‑state$27,377
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 146

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, OK 129.4 miles from Ponca City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
44.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 100%
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,379
Avg net price $12,710/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,810
Out‑of‑state$17,290
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

East Central University

Ada, OK 136.7 miles from Ponca City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
40.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,962
Avg net price $8,683/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Physics Wages Near Ponca City

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Oklahoma, statewide)
Physicists $200,050
Biochemists and Biophysicists $69,130
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $91,580
Mathematicians N/A
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $76,480
Engineers, All Other $119,810
Software Developers $118,100
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $48,710

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.

Ponca City at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,377 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $55,270 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 20.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Ponca City-Area Cities With Physics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited physics schools are near Ponca City, OK?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs near Ponca City. The closest is Oklahoma State University-Main Campus in Stillwater, OK (41.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Rogers State University (84.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying physics roles in Oklahoma?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying physics-related roles in Oklahoma are: Physicists ($200,050), Engineers, All Other ($119,810), Software Developers ($118,100). Wages for Ponca City workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Stillwater instead of Ponca City?

Stillwater, OK is 40.9 miles from Ponca City 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 Ponca City an affordable place to study physics?

Ponca City’s median household income of $55,270 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ponca City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Oklahoma 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 Ponca City

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

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 Oklahoma: Online Programs (2026)