U.S. median for this major: $78,569.
College Scorecard field of study; 26 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 25% 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 $82,404. College Scorecard.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 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 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute'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 | $24,078 | $100,164 | 2.1 years |
| $30–48k | $26,289 | $109,362 | 2.3 years |
| $48–75k | $28,212 | $117,362 | 2.5 years |
| $75–110k | $36,230 | $150,717 | 3.2 years |
| $110k+ | $42,541 | $176,971 | 3.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (71% 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 ($81,840) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $47,207 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 New York colleges
Every New York 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 | Cornell University | $118,649 | $15,961 | $28,690 | 95% |
| 2 | Le Moyne College | $99,009 | — | $22,277 | 73% |
| 3 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | $81,840 | $20,270 | $36,228 | 84% |
| 4 | SUNY Oneonta | $80,041 | — | $19,158 | 69% |
| 5 | SUNY College at Geneseo | $77,575 | $18,000 | $18,211 | 71% |
| 6 | Rochester Institute of Technology | $75,281 | $27,000 | $34,906 | 70% |
| 7 | New York University | $69,334 | $22,750 | $37,050 | 88% |
| 8 | St. John's University-New York | $67,536 | — | $29,999 | 66% |
| 9 | Siena College | $66,865 | $26,000 | $33,733 | 75% |
| 10 | Stony Brook University | $65,013 | $21,683 | $18,784 | 76% |
56 more New York 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 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Acceptance rate: 63% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 84% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $102,051
- Full cost breakdown · all 45 majors · overview
Related majors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Chemistry—
- Geology / Earth Science—
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Physics questions
How much do Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Physics graduates earn?
Physics graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn a median $81,840 four years after graduating and $60,348 one year after. The U.S. median for Physics graduates across 107 colleges is $78,569.
How much debt do Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Physics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Physics graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is $20,270, about 25% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,490.
Is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute a good school for Physics in New York?
On pay, Physics graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn $81,840 four years out, $5,412 above the median for the same major across 10 New York colleges ($76,428) and $3,271 above the U.S. median ($78,569). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute rank for Physics in New York?
Of 10 New York colleges reporting Physics graduate earnings, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ranks 3rd. The highest is Cornell University at $118,649.
What jobs do Physics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $80,620 in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY area and $72,040 nationally. Others include natural sciences managers.
Is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
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: “Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Physics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute/majors/physics (College Scorecard and BLS data).