U.S. median for this major: $78,569.
College Scorecard field of study
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 16% 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 $45,619. College Scorecard.
Physics at California colleges
Every California 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 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | $96,805 | $23,000 | $16,665 | 86% |
| 2 | University of California-Irvine | $96,215 | $15,000 | $14,251 | 87% |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley | $96,043 | $15,508 | $13,481 | 93% |
| 4 | University of California-San Diego | $95,018 | $16,800 | $12,470 | 86% |
| 5 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | $87,856 | $23,000 | $11,531 | 68% |
| 6 | California State University-Fullerton | $86,504 | — | $6,555 | 70% |
| 7 | University of California-Los Angeles | $85,708 | $21,100 | $12,548 | 93% |
| 8 | University of California-Santa Barbara | $85,219 | $15,982 | $16,109 | 83% |
| 9 | University of California-Davis | $78,569 | $16,464 | $14,741 | 86% |
| 10 | University of California-Riverside | $74,410 | $19,000 | $14,304 | 76% |
| 11 | California State University-Long Beach | $70,462 | $23,229 | $10,440 | 69% |
| 12 | California State University-Sacramento | $64,133 | — | $9,338 | 56% |
| 13 | California State University-San Bernardino | $62,004 | — | $4,564 | 55% |
45 more California 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 University of California-Berkeley, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of California-Berkeley
- Acceptance rate: 11% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 93% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $92,446
- Full cost breakdown · all 80 majors · overview
Related majors at University of California-Berkeley
- Chemistry$82,386
- Astronomy and Astrophysics$90,943
- Physical Sciences—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology—
- Materials Sciences—
University of California-Berkeley Physics questions
How much do University of California-Berkeley Physics graduates earn?
Physics graduates of University of California-Berkeley earn a median $96,043 four years after graduating and $50,219 one year after. The U.S. median for Physics graduates across 107 colleges is $78,569.
How much debt do University of California-Berkeley Physics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Physics graduates of University of California-Berkeley is $15,508, about 16% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,490.
Where does University of California-Berkeley rank for Physics in California?
Of 13 California colleges reporting Physics graduate earnings, University of California-Berkeley ranks 3rd. The highest is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo at $96,805.
What jobs do Physics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $102,880 in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA area and $72,040 nationally. Others include natural sciences managers.
Is University of California-Berkeley the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing University of California-Berkeley 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: “University of California-Berkeley Physics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/physics (College Scorecard and BLS data).