WhatGradsMake
Master's-3% vs national median342 grads tracked

Physical Sciences at North Carolina State University

Ranked 67th of 132 master's programs in Physical Sciences by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$58,497
middle 50%: $43,798 – $75,199
Median · 5 years out
$80,376
middle 50%: $60,590 – $106,099
Median · 10 years out
$103,104
middle 50%: $75,744 – $136,618

Salary trajectory

Median earnings vs the national median for Physical Sciences (master's) graduates.

This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates

Graduates of North Carolina State University's master's program in Physical Sciences earn a median $58,497 one year after graduating, rising to $103,104 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 3% below the national median of $83,137 for this field, ranking 67th of 132 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
5.2 yrs
≈ $5,707 total interest

Same major at other universities

Purdue University
$81,969 · 5 yrs out
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
$81,961 · 5 yrs out
Indiana University - Bloomington
$81,917 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Graduate School & University Center
$81,817 · 5 yrs out
University of Montana (The)
$81,561 · 5 yrs out
University of Virginia
$81,462 · 5 yrs out
University of North Carolina - Charlotte
$80,325 · 5 yrs out
Iowa State University of Science & Technology
$79,787 · 5 yrs out
University of Toledo
$79,787 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Stony Brook
$79,607 · 5 yrs out
Portland State University
$79,588 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
$79,368 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at North Carolina State University

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$164,191 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$159,758 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$133,569 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$130,109 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$116,091 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$113,912 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Doctorate)
$110,004 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields (Doctorate)
$109,592 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Master's)
$106,364 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Doctorate)
$106,347 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$105,676 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$105,676 · 5 yrs out

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