Bachelor's+4% vs national median119 grads tracked
Physics at Saint Olaf College
Ranked 60th of 165 bachelor's programs in Physics by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$37,592
middle 50%: $26,236 – $53,892
Median · 5 years out
$78,948
middle 50%: $47,119 – $112,632
Median · 10 years out
$112,007
middle 50%: $81,671 – $159,171
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Physics (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Graduates of Saint Olaf College's bachelor's program in Physics earn a median $37,592 one year after graduating, rising to $112,007 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 4% above the national median of $76,251 for this field, ranking 60th of 165 reporting programs.
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 yrs
≈ $7,300 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
$79,641 · 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
Colorado State University
$78,915 · 5 yrs out
Norfolk State University
$78,843 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
$78,305 · 5 yrs out
Metropolitan State University of Denver
$77,901 · 5 yrs out
Augusta University
$77,901 · 5 yrs out
Macalester College
$77,901 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Saint Olaf College
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$120,035 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$120,035 · 5 yrs out
Economics (Bachelor's)
$85,545 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Bachelor's)
$78,045 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics (Bachelor's)
$78,045 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Bachelor's)
$76,166 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's)
$76,166 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Bachelor's)
$72,148 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Bachelor's)
$68,702 · 5 yrs out
Chemistry (Bachelor's)
$67,022 · 5 yrs out
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's)
$65,735 · 5 yrs out
Biological and Biomedical Sciences (Bachelor's)
$62,763 · 5 yrs out