Physics: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 40.08. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 1,503 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 21 | 35 | Data unavailable | $78,502 | Data unavailable |
| Associate's degree | 189 | 1,493 | $35,965 | $63,321 | Data unavailable |
| Bachelor's degree | 797 | 7,123 | $52,079 | $76,786 | $20,375 86 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 265 | 2,284 | $81,416 | $96,478 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 206 | 1,914 | $94,235 | $130,153 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 24 | 61 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania PA · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $89,591 | Data unavailable | $19,500 |
| Drexel University PA · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $81,707 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Arizona AZ · Public · 31 graduates measured | $76,968 | $88,207 | $19,500 |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute MA · Private, nonprofit · 26 graduates measured | $76,720 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Bethel University MN · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $76,335 | $85,657 | $21,750 |
| Southern Arkansas University Main Campus AR · Public · 31 graduates measured | $72,874 | $89,685 | $23,125 |
| University of California-Santa Cruz CA · Public · 28 graduates measured | $72,553 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire WI · Public · 27 graduates measured | $71,379 | $87,033 | Data unavailable |
| University of Wisconsin-River Falls WI · Public · 17 graduates measured | $70,019 | $85,638 | Data unavailable |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University VA · Public · 32 graduates measured | $68,081 | $92,746 | $22,192 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University VA · Public · 22 graduates measured | $67,201 | $77,737 | Data unavailable |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill NC · Public · 27 graduates measured | $66,284 | $103,477 | $14,567 |
| Brigham Young University UT · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $64,945 | $73,747 | Data unavailable |
| University of California-Santa Barbara CA · Public · 69 graduates measured | $64,520 | $85,219 | $12,910 |
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania PA · Public · 20 graduates measured | $64,200 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arizona AZ · Public · 42 graduates measured | $118,505 | $179,750 | Data unavailable |
| Johns Hopkins University MD · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $114,305 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public · 23 graduates measured | $106,704 | $150,865 | Data unavailable |
| Pennsylvania State University-World Campus PA · Public · 23 graduates measured | $106,704 | $150,865 | Data unavailable |
| University of Rochester NY · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $100,689 | $127,533 | Data unavailable |
| Appalachian State University NC · Public · 27 graduates measured | $86,293 | $111,173 | Data unavailable |
| East Texas A&M University TX · Public · 18 graduates measured | $67,634 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Pennsylvania PA · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $66,722 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Doctoral degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arizona AZ · Public · 30 graduates measured | $132,173 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Colorado Boulder CO · Public · 18 graduates measured | $130,362 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Notre Dame IN · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $96,071 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus OH · Public · 28 graduates measured | $94,730 | $132,984 | Data unavailable |
| Florida State University FL · Public · 24 graduates measured | $91,561 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Duke University NC · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $91,307 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of California-Davis CA · Public · 16 graduates measured | $84,486 | $141,034 | Data unavailable |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor MI · Public · 25 graduates measured | $80,969 | $141,253 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Physics
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural sciences managers | $167,220 | +8.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Physicists | $172,250 | +7.2% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Physics teachers, postsecondary | $100,310 | +2.4% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education | $72,040 | -0.2% | Bachelor's degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (10)
- 40.0801 Physics, General
- 40.0802 Atomic/Molecular Physics
- 40.0804 Elementary Particle Physics
- 40.0805 Plasma and High-Temperature Physics
- 40.0806 Nuclear Physics
- 40.0807 Optics/Optical Sciences
- 40.0808 Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
- 40.0809 Acoustics
- 40.0810 Theoretical and Mathematical Physics
- 40.0899 Physics, Other