# Physics (bachelor's degree)

CIP 40.08. Page: https://educationguide.com/degrees/physics

## Earnings
- Graduates 4 years after finishing: median $78,569 across 107 colleges (middle half $72,596–$89,430); median federal debt $23,495
- All workers ages 25-34 with a bachelor's in Physics: median $76,611 (all bachelor's $62,049; high school $35,638; Census ACS 2020-2024)

## Jobs graduates hold (ages 25-34)
| Job | Share | U.S. median wage | Growth 2025-35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | 12% | $135,980 | 10.2% |
| Postsecondary Teachers | 6% | $82,250 | 6% |
| Teaching Assistants | 4% | $37,010 | 0% |
| Other Engineers | 3% | not reported | — |
| Other Managers | 3% | not reported | — |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | 2% | $122,570 | 2.1% |
| Secondary School Teachers | 2% | $70,930 | -0.2% |
| Other Mathematical Science Occupations | 2% | not reported | — |

## By state
| State | Graduates 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| AZ | $81,696 (3) | — |
| CA | $85,708 (13) | $100,749 (226) |
| CT | $73,879 (5) | — |
| FL | $68,682 (3) | — |
| GA | $82,431 (3) | — |
| IL | $81,077 (3) | — |
| MA | $95,302 (4) | — |
| MD | $90,457 (3) | — |
| MN | $80,025 (3) | — |
| NC | $86,172 (4) | — |
| NJ | $70,139 (6) | — |
| NY | $76,428 (10) | $87,107 (143) |
| OR | $89,506 (5) | — |
| PA | $81,763 (7) | — |
| TX | $73,284 (6) | — |
| UT | $77,158 (3) | — |
| VA | $85,304 (4) | — |
| WA | $75,867 (4) | — |
| WI | $83,116 (4) | — |

## Top colleges by graduate earnings (published states)
1. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (CA): $96,805
2. University of California-Irvine (CA): $96,215
3. George Mason University (VA): $96,138
4. University of California-Berkeley (CA): $96,043
5. University of California-San Diego (CA): $95,018
6. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VA): $92,746
7. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (CA): $87,856
8. California State University-Fullerton (CA): $86,504
9. University of California-Los Angeles (CA): $85,708
10. University of California-Santa Barbara (CA): $85,219
11. University of California-Davis (CA): $78,569
12. William & Mary (VA): $77,863

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#degrees

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