University Science Books

What University Science Books does

University Science Books is a private academic publishing company founded in 1978 and based in Dulles, Virginia, that specializes in textbooks and course materials for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses spanning the physical sciences (including physics and chemistry). Its product portfolio is a single core category — authoritative, peer-reviewed textbooks designed for advanced science curricula — with no proprietary digital platform or technology stack referenced in source material. Distribution operates through two channels: academic bookstore distribution (with a 15% return processing fee applied to pre-acquisition orders) and direct institutional sales to universities, colleges, faculty, and students for course adoption.

The business model is a one-time-license textbook sale model, with revenue generated per copy sold through institutional and bookstore channels. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and select customer logos are not specified; customer segments are horizontal across higher education institutions and academic personas (graduate students, advanced undergraduates, faculty) in physical sciences. Office footprint is lean: a single Dulles, VA facility (22880 Quicksilver Drive) functions primarily as a returns processing and fulfillment center.

University Science Books operated as a standalone imprint within AIP Publishing LLC prior to being acquired by MIT Press effective July 1, 2025. Following the acquisition, MIT Press handles all inquiries regarding titles, inventory, and ordering ([email protected]). The Dulles distribution site continues to process bookstore returns for orders fulfilled before June 30, 2025 (accepted through December 30, 2025). Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, consistent with a small, specialized imprint rather than a scaled publisher, and revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

University Science Books

Legal name

University Science Books

Website

https://uscibooks.aip.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

University Science Books is a private academic publisher specializing in textbooks and course materials for upper-level undergraduate and graduate physical sciences courses. It serves universities, faculty, and students through academic bookstore distribution and direct institutional sales, and was acquired by MIT Press effective July 1, 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Textbook Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM (Math, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering) (EDAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Higher Education Textbook Publishing (MPAJABAB)

Keywords

• Academic textbook publishing
• Physical sciences textbooks
• Graduate course materials
• Scientific publishing
• University press books

Headquarters

HQ city

Dulles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Textbook and Course Material Sales: University Science Books generates revenue through the sale of academic textbooks and course materials to educational institutions, bookstores, and individual customers (students and professors) in the physical sciences domain.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Core offering

University Science Books is an academic publisher that produces and sells textbooks and course materials for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses spanning the physical sciences. The company distributes its titles through academic bookstores and direct institutional sales, operating from a distribution center in Dulles, VA, and now handling inquiries through MIT Press following its July 2025 acquisition.

Product overview

University Science Books is a single-product academic publisher specializing in textbooks and course materials for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in the physical sciences. The company operated as a standalone publishing imprint until its acquisition by MIT Press effective July 1, 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Physical Sciences Textbooks Authoritative, peer-reviewed textbooks and course materials for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses spanning the physical sciences, including physics, chemistry, and related disciplines. Sold to educational institutions, academic bookstores, faculty, and students.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MIT PressflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025University Science Books was acquired by MIT Press effective July 1, 2025. MIT Press now handles all inquiries regarding University Science Books titles, inventory, and how to order. Contact: [email protected].

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Macmillan Learning: Higher-education division of Macmillan that includes W.H. Freeman, Bedford, Freeman & Worth, and Hayden-McNeil. Directly comparable in physical-sciences textbook publishing and in the academic bookstore and institutional sales channels that University Science Books relies on.
• Oxford University Press: University-press publisher with a strong physical-sciences and mathematics textbook list for higher education. Competes with University Science Books for graduate-level and honors-level course adoptions, particularly in physics, chemistry, and mathematics.
• Springer Nature: Major academic publisher with significant textbook and monograph output in physical sciences. Competes with University Science Books for upper-level and graduate-level adoptions and for author relationships in physics and chemistry.
• Cengage: Large higher-education publisher serving similar university and bookstore channels. Overlaps with University Science Books in physical sciences and STEM textbooks, though Cengage operates at much greater scale and across multiple disciplines.
• Cambridge University Press: University press with a respected list in physics, chemistry, and mathematics textbooks and monographs. Direct overlap with University Science Books in the upper-level physical-sciences course materials market, with similar academic and institutional customer base.
• McGraw-Hill Education: Major higher-education publisher with strong STEM textbook offerings, including physics and chemistry. Competes with University Science Books for faculty adoptions and bookstore distribution but at a vastly broader scale and across many disciplines.
• Pearson Education: One of the largest global higher-education textbook publishers, with significant STEM and physical-sciences lists. Competes with University Science Books for course adoption at universities, but operates across all disciplines and includes digital courseware at scale.

Direct peers

• W. W. Norton & Company: Independent publisher with a strong list in college-level science textbooks, including physics and chemistry. Closely comparable to University Science Books in editorial philosophy (rigorous, author-driven content), independence, and focus on higher-education course adoption.
• W.H. Freeman and Company: Historically the most direct competitor to University Science Books in upper-level undergraduate and graduate physics and chemistry textbooks; now part of Macmillan Learning. Comparable in subject focus (physical sciences), customer base (university faculty and students), and distribution through academic bookstores.

Emerging players

• CRC Press (Taylor & Francis): Specialist STEM and physical-sciences publisher within Taylor & Francis, with strong lists in physics, chemistry, and engineering textbooks. Comparable in subject focus but with broader discipline coverage and larger scale than University Science Books.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-institute-of-physics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University Science Books