Physics degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in physics earn a median $78,569 four years after finishing, across 107 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in physics earn $76,611, $14,562 more than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is software developers (12%).
Median across 107 colleges; middle half $72,596–$89,430.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $48,881–$109,778. 1,406 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Physics"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$40,973/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs physics graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in physics actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | 12% | $135,980 | +10.2% | Bachelor's degree | IC |
| Postsecondary Teachers | 6% | $82,250 | +6.0% | — | — |
| Teaching Assistants | 4% | $37,010 | +0.0% | — | — |
| Other Engineers | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Other Managers | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | 2% | $122,570 | +2.1% | Bachelor's degree | IRC |
| Secondary School Teachers | 2% | $70,930 | -0.2% | — | — |
| Other Mathematical Science Occupations | 2% | — | — | — | — |
These 8 jobs account for 35% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Physics earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $81,696 (3) | — |
| California | $85,708 (13) | $100,749 (226) |
| Connecticut | $73,879 (5) | — |
| Florida | $68,682 (3) | — |
| Georgia | $82,431 (3) | — |
| Illinois | $81,077 (3) | — |
| Maryland | $90,457 (3) | — |
| Massachusetts | $95,302 (4) | — |
| Minnesota | $80,025 (3) | — |
| New Jersey | $70,139 (6) | — |
| New York | $76,428 (10) | $87,107 (143) |
| North Carolina | $86,172 (4) | — |
| Oregon | $89,506 (5) | — |
| Pennsylvania | $81,763 (7) | — |
| Texas | $73,284 (6) | — |
| Utah | $77,158 (3) | — |
| Virginia | $85,304 (4) | — |
| Washington | $75,867 (4) | — |
| Wisconsin | $83,116 (4) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where physics graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 19 in Florida, 26 in Virginia, 58 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA | $96,805 | $23,000 |
| 2 | University of California-IrvineCA | $96,215 | $15,000 |
| 3 | George Mason UniversityVA | $96,138 | — |
| 4 | University of California-BerkeleyCA | $96,043 | $15,508 |
| 5 | University of California-San DiegoCA | $95,018 | $16,800 |
| 6 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVA | $92,746 | $27,000 |
| 7 | California State Polytechnic University-PomonaCA | $87,856 | $23,000 |
| 8 | California State University-FullertonCA | $86,504 | — |
| 9 | University of California-Los AngelesCA | $85,708 | $21,100 |
| 10 | University of California-Santa BarbaraCA | $85,219 | $15,982 |
| 11 | University of California-DavisCA | $78,569 | $16,464 |
| 12 | William & MaryVA | $77,863 | $20,000 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Physics degree questions
How much do Physics graduates make?
Physics graduates earn a median $78,569 four years after finishing, across 107 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $72,596 to $89,430; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in physics, the median is $76,611 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Physics degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in physics earn a median $76,611: $14,562 more than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $40,973 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Physics graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in physics, the most common jobs are software developers (12%), postsecondary teachers (6%), teaching assistants (4%). Software Developers earn a U.S. median $135,980.
How much do Physics graduates earn in Florida?
Across 3 Florida colleges reporting, Physics graduates earn a median $68,682 four years after graduating.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Physics degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/physics.