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.
- Schools offering
- 8
- Annual completions
- 30
- Typical degree level
- Bachelor's
- Median earnings (5yr)
- $58k
About this major
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 of specialized tracks: Biomedical Physics.
Where this major leads
Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.
| Occupation | Median wage | Job growth | Typical education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | $106k | +17.3% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Physicists | $166k | +4.0% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Physics teachers, postsecondary | $97k | +2.5% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Earnings at a glance
Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.
Median 5-year earnings
$58k
Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings
Associate's
$44k
Bachelor's
$58k
Top colleges for Health/Medical Physics
Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.
| College | Location | Assoc. | Bach. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center | Houston, TX | 0 | 15 | 15 |
| Creighton University | Omaha, NE | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| California State University-Fresno | Fresno, CA | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Oregon State University | Corvallis, OR | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Belmont University | Nashville, TN | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Purdue University-Main Campus | West Lafayette, IN | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | Fort Collins, CO | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Considering this direction?
We've taken a hard look at the debt, earnings trajectory, and degree-level tradeoffs for the Health/Medical Physics field. Read our verdict before you commit.
Is Health/Medical Physics worth it? Read verdict