U.S. median for this major: $78,569.
College Scorecard field of study; 28 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 14% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,490.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $82,730. College Scorecard.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Physics: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Massachusetts Institute of Technology's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $0 | $0 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $93 | $387 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $1,480 | $6,157 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $11,555 | $48,069 | under 1 year |
| $110k+ | $48,479 | $201,673 | 2.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (82% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Physics graduates 4 years after graduating ($131,025) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $91,145 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Physics at Massachusetts colleges
Every Massachusetts college we cover that reports Physics graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $131,025 | $18,500 | $20,111 | 96% |
| 2 | College of the Holy Cross | $99,165 | — | $38,782 | 87% |
| 3 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | $91,438 | $22,177 | $17,163 | 65% |
| 4 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | $72,596 | $27,000 | $22,383 | 83% |
26 more Massachusetts colleges offer Physics but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Physics graduates
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Natural Sciences Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Acceptance rate: 5% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 96% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $143,372
- Full cost breakdown · all 40 majors · overview
Related majors at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Chemistry—
- Geology / Earth Science—
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Physics questions
How much do Massachusetts Institute of Technology Physics graduates earn?
Physics graduates of Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn a median $131,025 four years after graduating and $54,773 one year after. The U.S. median for Physics graduates across 107 colleges is $78,569.
How much debt do Massachusetts Institute of Technology Physics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Physics graduates of Massachusetts Institute of Technology is $18,500, about 14% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,490.
Is Massachusetts Institute of Technology a good school for Physics in Massachusetts?
On pay, Physics graduates of Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn $131,025 four years out, $35,723 above the median for the same major across 4 Massachusetts colleges ($95,302) and $52,456 above the U.S. median ($78,569). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Massachusetts Institute of Technology rank for Physics in Massachusetts?
Of 4 Massachusetts colleges reporting Physics graduate earnings, Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Physics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $98,850 in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH area and $72,040 nationally. Others include natural sciences managers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Massachusetts Institute of Technology Physics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/massachusetts-institute-of-technology/majors/physics (College Scorecard and BLS data).