Updated March 2026 · College Scorecard data
Is Physics Worth It?
Physics holds a solid national average ROI Score of 79/100 across 25 reporting schools — Grade B territory, where repayment math works for most graduates at most institutions. Across the field, median debt is $20K against $65K in first-year earnings — a strong cushion — typical graduates carry less than half a year of starting salary in debt, leaving room to switch jobs or pursue graduate study without distress.
Physics ROI at a Glance
holds a solid national average ROI Score of 79/100 across 25 reporting schools — Grade B territory, where repayment math works for most graduates at most institutions. The graduation-weighted average across reporting institutions is the cleanest single number for the field, but it hides the spread — top programs like Carleton College run far ahead of the bottom of the table. School choice within Physics matters because the major-level number is a starting point, not a prediction.
Earnings rise sharply from $65K in year 1 to $90K by year 5 — 38% growth in four years. That is a strong promotion curve, common in technology, engineering, and finance tracks where early-career skill compounding pays off fast. The five-year earnings trajectory is one of the strongest signals of long-run career fit; a flat curve suggests the major leads to roles where seniority does not pay off without graduate credentials, while a steep curve indicates fast skill compounding inside the field.
Best in field: Carleton College leads the field with a 81/100 ROI Score (Grade A). Median debt at completion is $17K against $65K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.26x. Worst in field: Clark Atlanta University sits at the bottom of the field with a 77/100 ROI Score (Grade B). Median debt at completion is $24K against $65K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.36x.
Debt-to-Income at the Field Level
At a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31x, Physics shows a strong cushion — typical graduates carry less than half a year of starting salary in debt, leaving room to switch jobs or pursue graduate study without distress. Federal financial-aid research uses the “8% rule” — monthly student loan payments under 8% of gross monthly income — which translates to debt below roughly 0.75x annual earnings on a standard 10-year plan. Programs running above 1.0x typically need income-driven repayment to stay current; above 1.5x, the math rarely works without forgiveness mechanics or an unusually steep career ramp. For borrower-rights and repayment guidance, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is the most accessible federal source.
Debt vs Earnings by School
Physics by School
| School | State | Median Debt | Year 1 Earnings | Year 5 Earnings | ROI Grade | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton College | Mn | $17K | $65K | $90K | A | STRONG BUY |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Pa | $17K | $65K | $90K | A | STRONG BUY |
| Claremont McKenna College | Ca | $17K | $65K | $90K | A | STRONG BUY |
| Amherst College | Ma | $19K | $65K | $90K | A | STRONG BUY |
| Bates College | Me | $18K | $65K | $90K | A | STRONG BUY |
| Colgate University | Ny | $18K | $65K | $90K | A | STRONG BUY |
| College of the Holy Cross | Ma | $19K | $65K | $90K | A | STRONG BUY |
| Adrian College | Mi | $21K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Bard College at Simon's Rock | Ma | $19K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Berry College | Ga | $21K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Bowdoin College | Me | $21K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Bryn Mawr College | Pa | $20K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Case Western Reserve University | Oh | $21K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Colby College | Me | $21K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Colorado College | Co | $20K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Allegheny College | Pa | $22K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Austin College | Tx | $22K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Bethel University | Mn | $22K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Birmingham-Southern College | Al | $22K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Brevard College | Nc | $22K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| California Institute of Technology | Ca | $22K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Carson-Newman University | Tn | $22K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Coe College | Ia | $23K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Columbia College Chicago | Il | $22K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
| Clark Atlanta University | Ga | $24K | $65K | $90K | B | BUY |
How Physics’s ROI Score Is Calculated
The Physics ROI Score is a weighted composite of five financial-aid signals: debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium over a high-school diploma (25%), 10-year BLS job-growth outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. the national average (10%). Each school + major combination is scored individually, then aggregated up to the field level. The grade thresholds (A ≥ 80, B ≥ 65, C ≥ 50, D ≥ 35, F < 35) are calibrated so a typical break-even degree lands in the C range. Read the full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Physics degree worth it?
Physics holds a solid national average ROI Score of 79/100 across 25 reporting schools — Grade B territory, where repayment math works for most graduates at most institutions. The dominant signal is debt-to-income: at a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31x on average, the field shows a strong cushion — typical graduates carry less than half a year of starting salary in debt, leaving room to switch jobs or pursue graduate study without distress. Outcomes vary sharply by institution, so the school you choose within Physics usually matters more than the major label itself.
What is the average debt for a Physics degree?
Median debt at completion across the 25 U.S. schools reporting Physics data to the College Scorecard is $20K, against a national all-major average of $26K. The range across schools is wide — $17K at the top of the table to $24K at the bottom.
How much do Physics graduates earn?
Earnings rise sharply from $65K in year 1 to $90K by year 5 — 38% growth in four years. That is a strong promotion curve, common in technology, engineering, and finance tracks where early-career skill compounding pays off fast. National average first-year earnings across all 30,224 school + major combinations on the site is $58K — for context, Physics sits above that benchmark.
Which school has the best Physics program by ROI?
Carleton College leads the field with a 81/100 ROI Score (Grade A). Median debt at completion is $17K against $65K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.26x. On the other end, Clark Atlanta University sits at the bottom of the field with a 77/100 ROI Score (Grade B). Median debt at completion is $24K against $65K in first-year earnings — a debt-to-income ratio of 0.36x.
Where does this Physics data come from?
Every figure on this page comes from federal public datasets — the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov) for debt and earnings, IPEDS (nces.ed.gov/ipeds) for graduation rates, and BLS Employment Projections for the job-growth outlook component of the ROI Score. Borrower-rights guidance: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (consumerfinance.gov). The dataset was last refreshed March 2026.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. All federal datasets are public domain.
Last updated 2026-03-15 · 25 schools reporting for this major.