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 19% 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 $26,055. College Scorecard.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 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 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill'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 | $2,004 | $8,176 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $3,918 | $15,985 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $8,538 | $34,835 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $16,415 | $66,973 | 1.0 years |
| $110k+ | $24,396 | $99,536 | 1.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (86% 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 ($103,477) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $69,961 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 North Carolina colleges
Every North Carolina 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 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $103,477 | $19,200 | $11,655 | 91% |
| 2 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $89,944 | $28,750 | $15,435 | 69% |
| 3 | Appalachian State University | $82,399 | $22,096 | $16,836 | 75% |
| 4 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $51,590 | $23,490 | $17,303 | 85% |
16 more North Carolina 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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Acceptance rate: 15% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 91% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $72,200
- Full cost breakdown · all 51 majors · overview
Related majors at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Chemistry$64,981
- Geology / Earth Science—
- Physical Sciences, Other—
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Physics questions
How much do University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Physics graduates earn?
Physics graduates of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn a median $103,477 four years after graduating and $62,647 one year after. The U.S. median for Physics graduates across 107 colleges is $78,569.
How much debt do University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Physics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Physics graduates of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $19,200, about 19% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,490.
Is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill a good school for Physics in North Carolina?
On pay, Physics graduates of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn $103,477 four years out, $17,305 above the median for the same major across 4 North Carolina colleges ($86,172) and $24,908 above the U.S. median ($78,569). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill rank for Physics in North Carolina?
Of 4 North Carolina colleges reporting Physics graduate earnings, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 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 $57,870 in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 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: “University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Physics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill/majors/physics (College Scorecard and BLS data).