Physics
Offered at 1,236 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 7 | — | — | — |
| Associate | 135 | — | — | — |
| Bachelor's | 677 | $54,230 | $84,353 | $20,375 |
| Master's | 228 | $103,696 | $115,912 | — |
| Doctoral | 176 | $93,145 | $135,547 | — |
| Graduate certificate | 13 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cabrillo College | CA | — | $86,827 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of the Canyons | CA | — | $81,864 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California | CA | — | $131,487 | — |
| 2 | University of California-Santa Cruz | CA | $72,553 | $131,315 | — |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | NC | $66,284 | $118,126 | $14,567 |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | — | $115,578 | $15,000 |
| 5 | University of Notre Dame | IN | — | $115,337 | $15,500 |
| 6 | University of Rochester | NY | — | $114,369 | $19,000 |
| 7 | William & Mary | VA | — | $108,960 | $17,500 |
| 8 | University of Maryland-College Park | MD | $58,347 | $104,655 | $19,981 |
| 9 | University of California-Santa Barbara | CA | $64,520 | $104,045 | $12,910 |
| 10 | University of Chicago | IL | $46,218 | $101,865 | — |
| 11 | Florida State University | FL | — | $101,455 | — |
| 12 | St Olaf College | MN | — | $99,542 | $23,000 |
| 13 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $58,575 | $97,335 | $13,861 |
| 14 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | $64,107 | $96,766 | $19,730 |
| 15 | University of California-Irvine | CA | $38,899 | $96,693 | $10,916 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Rochester | NY | $100,689 | $131,801 | — |
| 2 | University of Oregon | OR | — | $128,227 | — |
| 3 | University of Arizona | AZ | $118,505 | — | — |
| 4 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $114,305 | — | — |
| 5 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | $106,704 | — | — |
| 6 | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | PA | $106,704 | — | — |
| 7 | Appalachian State University | NC | $86,293 | $103,598 | — |
| 8 | East Texas A&M University | TX | $67,634 | — | — |
| 9 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | $66,722 | — | — |
| 10 | New York University | NY | — | $55,804 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | — | $179,815 | — |
| 2 | University of California-Davis | CA | $84,486 | $161,107 | — |
| 3 | University of Colorado Boulder | CO | $130,362 | $139,073 | — |
| 4 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | $94,730 | $132,021 | — |
| 5 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | TX | — | $128,659 | — |
| 6 | University of Arizona | AZ | $132,173 | $125,995 | — |
| 7 | University of Notre Dame | IN | $96,071 | — | — |
| 8 | Florida State University | FL | $91,561 | — | — |
| 9 | Duke University | NC | $91,307 | — | — |
| 10 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $80,969 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do physics graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in physics reports median earnings of $54,230. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
