I got admission for Physics at these univs and trying to decide between them. I am out of state in all of them and have plans to do masters after undergrad. I have general interest in astrophysics and would like to explore different fields in physics before going for masters. So, looking for suggestions/recommendations comparing Physics at these schools please. Cost will be a factor and from that perspective UF is cheapest among them but would like to know if stretching to Boulder or UIUC is worth it. thanks
A terminal masters is not common in physics. There are a few (Ohio, I think Wisconsin), but generally grad school in physics is a PhD. You have to pay for masters, but usually PhD is paid for.
If you look at the online descriptions, you will see that the core undergrad physics program is really similar across universities (this is not an accident). It’s a heavy enough courseload, and there isn’t a lot of ‘exploring different fields’ built in (though there are electives, and sometimes specialization tracks)
The things that will make you employable with a BA or BSc in Physics will be your research experience, which you can get at UF (I know one of the physics profs there has a great relationship with CERN), and during the summers through REUs etc.
Imo, the key variable here is debt: an undergrad physics degree from UIUC or UCo Boulder is not worth extra debt over UF.