SBU Physics and Astronomy Again Ranked Among World’s Top 100 Programs

Stony Brook University's Department of Physics and Astronomy has been ranked No. 85 in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject, placing it once again among the top 100 university programs globally in the field.

"The Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences is one of Stony Brook's most distinguished departments," said Carl W. Lejuez, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. "Since the great C.N. Yang joined Stony Brook shortly after the university was founded, exceptional faculty, researchers and students have been drawn to study physics and astronomy here and explore the complexities and infinite possibilities across time, space and the natural world."

The QS World University Rankings by Subject are based on five key indicators that measure both reputation and research impact. These include academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations per paper and the H-index, which reflects both the productivity and impact of a department's research. The rankings also consider the international research network, which measures how effectively a university collaborates with institutions around the world.

Stony Brook, New York's number one public university and flagship, has been in the World University Rankings top 100 for Physics and Astronomy eight of the last nine years, most recently in 2024. For this year's ranking, the university was evaluated based on reputation and research output for 6,273 institutions, 1,908 ranked across 55 narrow subjects and five broad subject areas.

"While no single number can capture the quality of a program's faculty, staff, and students, we are always gratified when they are recognized for their outstanding contributions to their field," said Braden Hosch, vice president for educational and institutional effectiveness.

"I am exceptionally pleased to see the QS ranked our department within top 100 (#85) globally, which is essentially our highest QS ranking in history," said Chang Kee Jung, SUNY distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. "While I truly believe the quality of our department is even higher, I welcome this ranking that reflects our excellent faculty, and graduate and undergrad programs."

The Department of Physics and Astronomy shares faculty with the C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics; the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics; and the Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology.

Recent highlights from the department include a new Quantum Institute, led by Director and Endowed Presidential Professor of Physics Eden Figueroa; a $300 million dollar investment from New York State; and the launch of a new Quantum Design Lab. At the same time, the C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics has been further strengthened by a $12 million gift from alumni, creating an endowed fund to support faculty, students, and pioneering research in fundamental physics.