University of Arizona Physics: earnings, debt & careers

Physics graduates of University of Arizona earn a median $88,207 four years after graduating, with median federal loan debt of $20,650. That is $9,638 above the U.S. median for Physics graduates ($78,569 across 107 colleges), and ranks 1st of 2 Arizona colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$88,207

U.S. median for this major: $78,569.

College Scorecard field of study; 27 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
—

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$20,650

About 23% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,490.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$16,674 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $29,423. College Scorecard.

UA Physics: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

UA graduates$88,207
Arizona median (3 colleges)$81,696 (+$6,511)
U.S. median (107 colleges)$78,569 (+$9,638)

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.

Physics nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses UA's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$13,353$57,2841.1 years
$30–48k$14,984$64,2811.2 years
$48–75k$16,051$68,8591.3 years
$75–110k$19,777$84,8431.6 years
$110k+$22,307$95,6971.9 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (51% 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 ($88,207) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AZ (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $51,546 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 Arizona colleges

Every Arizona college we cover that reports Physics graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1University of Arizona$88,207$20,650$16,67468%
2Arizona State University Campus Immersion$81,696$24,700$14,96768%

2 more Arizona colleges offer Physics but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Physics graduates

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Tucson area$50,940
Arizona$58,360
U.S.$72,040

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Natural Sciences Managers

Tucson area$123,010
Arizona$124,920
U.S.$167,220

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 UA, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About UA

Related majors at UA

UA Physics questions

How much do UA Physics graduates earn?

Physics graduates of University of Arizona earn a median $88,207 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for Physics graduates across 107 colleges is $78,569.

How much debt do UA Physics graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Physics graduates of University of Arizona is $20,650, about 23% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,490.

Is UA a good school for Physics in Arizona?

On pay, Physics graduates of University of Arizona earn $88,207 four years out, $6,511 above the median for the same major across 3 Arizona colleges ($81,696) and $9,638 above the U.S. median ($78,569). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does UA rank for Physics in Arizona?

Of 2 Arizona colleges reporting Physics graduate earnings, University of Arizona 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 $50,940 in the Tucson, AZ 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
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Cite this: “University of Arizona Physics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-arizona/majors/physics (College Scorecard and BLS data).