Bachelor's+4% vs national median730 grads tracked
Physical Sciences at Illinois State University
Ranked 97th of 321 bachelor's programs in Physical Sciences by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$46,442
middle 50%: $33,216 – $60,757
Median · 5 years out
$68,996
middle 50%: $52,696 – $90,815
Median · 10 years out
$88,364
middle 50%: $65,711 – $120,730
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 graduates from Illinois State University earn $46k in their first year. Median pay reaches $69k at year five and $88k at year ten.
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
6.2 yrs
≈ $7,060 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
$69,466 · 5 yrs out
Indiana University Southeast
$69,441 · 5 yrs out
Georgia Institute of Technology
$69,365 · 5 yrs out
Wofford College
$69,325 · 5 yrs out
SUNY College at Geneseo
$69,209 · 5 yrs out
Pennsylvania State University (The) - Erie, The Behrend College
$69,154 · 5 yrs out
Colorado Mesa University
$68,911 · 5 yrs out
University of Alabama
$68,736 · 5 yrs out
Saint Olaf College
$68,702 · 5 yrs out
University of Colorado Boulder
$68,521 · 5 yrs out
Randolph College
$68,521 · 5 yrs out
Arizona State University
$68,373 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Illinois State University
Education (Doctorate)
$110,151 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$110,004 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$100,616 · 5 yrs out
Construction Management (Bachelor's)
$95,329 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$94,916 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$92,435 · 5 yrs out
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's)
$91,685 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Master's)
$91,592 · 5 yrs out
Psychology (Doctorate)
$89,527 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$88,197 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields (Master's)
$87,772 · 5 yrs out
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications (Bachelor's)
$85,173 · 5 yrs out