# Pennsylvania State University: Physics (bachelor's)

University Park, PA. IPEDS 214777, CIP 40.08. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/majors/physics

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $43,461
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $81,763 (U.S. median for this major: $78,569 across 107 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $23,830 (U.S. median $23,490)
- Rank in PA: 3 of 7 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the PA median for this major (7 colleges, $81,763): +$0
- Versus the U.S. median: +$3,194

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.2 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $81,763 minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $19,845 | $83,349 | 1.8 years |
| 30-48k | $20,049 | $84,206 | 1.8 years |
| 48-75k | $25,667 | $107,801 | 2.3 years |
| 75-110k | $31,834 | $133,703 | 2.9 years |
| 110k+ | $37,831 | $158,890 | 3.5 years |

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

## Physics at PA colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | $91,610 | not reported | $23,726 | 56% |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | $81,763 | $23,830 | $24,558 | 44% |
| Pennsylvania State University | $81,763 | $23,830 | $32,875 | 86% |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | $81,763 | $23,830 | $18,071 | 20% |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | $74,813 | not reported | $21,331 | 54% |
| Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | $73,703 | not reported | $15,699 | 55% |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania | $64,837 | $29,000 | $16,804 | 56% |

## Careers
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (SOC 25-2031): median wage $73,250 State College, PA, $78,800 PA, $72,040 U.S.; U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035
- Natural Sciences Managers (SOC 11-9121): median wage $122,930 State College, PA, $137,900 PA, $167,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 8.2% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).