Bachelor's+4% vs national median268 grads tracked
Physics at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Ranked 54th of 165 bachelor's programs in Physics by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$46,055
middle 50%: $30,087 – $68,838
Median · 5 years out
$79,641
middle 50%: $54,404 – $117,111
Median · 10 years out
$105,672
middle 50%: $70,527 – $164,346
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Physics (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Physics majors at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign see median first-year pay of $46k. By year 10, earnings reach $106k.
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
5.7 yrs
≈ $6,606 total interest
Same major at other universities
Virginia Commonwealth University
$80,624 · 5 yrs out
Hampden Sydney College
$80,540 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts at Boston
$80,205 · 5 yrs out
Georgia Institute of Technology
$79,787 · 5 yrs out
University of Georgia
$79,787 · 5 yrs out
Purdue University Fort Wayne
$79,787 · 5 yrs out
University of Missouri - Columbia
$79,157 · 5 yrs out
University of Missouri - Kansas City
$79,157 · 5 yrs out
Presbyterian College
$79,157 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Dallas
$79,157 · 5 yrs out
Miami University
$79,032 · 5 yrs out
Saint Olaf College
$78,948 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$226,077 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$206,093 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$177,207 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$176,681 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$173,815 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$159,201 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$152,834 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$151,479 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Doctorate)
$126,011 · 5 yrs out
Legal Professions and Studies (Doctorate)
$125,106 · 5 yrs out
Law (Doctorate)
$125,106 · 5 yrs out
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's)
$120,803 · 5 yrs out