Bachelor's-7% vs national median644 grads tracked
Physical Sciences at Iowa State University of Science & Technology
Ranked 230th of 321 bachelor's programs in Physical Sciences by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$38,429
middle 50%: $27,495 – $50,393
Median · 5 years out
$61,716
middle 50%: $45,777 – $82,043
Median · 10 years out
$83,105
middle 50%: $60,254 – $110,845
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Physical Sciences (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Physical Sciences majors at Iowa State University earn $38k in their first year. Median pay reaches $83k by year 10.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
7 yrs
≈ $8,279 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Missouri - Columbia
$62,129 · 5 yrs out
Old Dominion University
$62,119 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Oneonta
$62,075 · 5 yrs out
St. Cloud State University
$61,969 · 5 yrs out
University of Iowa
$61,746 · 5 yrs out
Macalester College
$61,737 · 5 yrs out
Albany State University
$61,630 · 5 yrs out
Virginia State University
$61,630 · 5 yrs out
Texas Woman's University
$61,545 · 5 yrs out
University of South Carolina - Aiken
$61,498 · 5 yrs out
University of North Carolina - Charlotte
$61,441 · 5 yrs out
Louisiana State University in Shreveport
$61,332 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Iowa State University of Science & Technology
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$147,324 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$146,317 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$136,278 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$118,825 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$116,045 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Doctorate)
$115,806 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields (Doctorate)
$113,881 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$110,315 · 5 yrs out
Education (Doctorate)
$107,785 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$107,597 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Master's)
$104,160 · 5 yrs out
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's)
$104,015 · 5 yrs out