by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Health/Medical Physics explores Health/medical Physics. A Program That Focuses On The Application Of Physics, Nuclear Science, And Engineering Physics To Diagnostic, Treatment, And Therapeutic Processes And Public Health Protection. Includes Instruction In Radiation Biophysics, Biophysics, Health Effects Of Natural And Artificially Induced Radiation, Hazard Evaluation, Environmental Radioactivity, Nuclear Physics, Engineering Physics, Radiobiology, Medical Radiology, Calibration And Dosage Theory, Computer Applications And Medical Informatics, And Specific Research Problems. Examples: [Biomedical Physics]. Continue reading for the key facts every health/medical physics student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering health/medical physics programs.
Nationwide, health/medical physics is a widely-pursued major, with 288 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Health/Medical Physics Schools ranking analyzes these 36 schools to determine the best overall colleges for health/medical physics students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of health/medical physics programs later in this article.
Coursework for Health/Medical Physics develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations health/medical physics graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a health/medical physics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a health/medical physics major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several health/medical physics degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 2 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 30 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 220 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 36 |
People currently working in careers related to health/medical physics tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 32.7% |
| Master’s degree | 31.2% |
| Post-doctoral training | 20.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 9.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.1% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.6% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in health/medical physics careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying health/medical physics can lead to a variety of career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to health/medical physics.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to health/medical physics.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Physics Teachers, Postsecondary | 415,392 | 14.3% |
| Physicists | 118,738 | 8.5% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of health/medical physics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $50,939 |
| 4 years | $60,432 |
| 5 years | $70,561 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for health/medical physics graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers health/medical physics grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Physicists | $111,776 |
| Physics Teachers, Postsecondary | $80,685 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
With 36 different health/medical physics programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased health/medical physics school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in health/medical physics, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Health, General | 25,004 |
| Public Health Education and Promotion | 3,785 |
| Public Health, Other | 2,803 |
| Health Services Administration | 2,629 |
| Community Health and Preventive Medicine | 2,571 |
| International Public Health/International Health | 1,500 |
| Environmental Health | 1,269 |
| Behavioral Aspects of Health | 623 |
| Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene | 313 |
| Maternal and Child Health | 180 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
