Bachelor's+8% vs national median203 grads tracked
Physics at North Carolina State University
Ranked 37th of 165 bachelor's programs in Physics by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$48,487
middle 50%: $33,973 – $68,560
Median · 5 years out
$82,300
middle 50%: $53,862 – $110,220
Median · 10 years out
$113,650
middle 50%: $63,346 – $156,924
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 earn a median $48k in their first year. By year ten, median earnings reach $114k.
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
5.4 yrs
≈ $6,328 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of South Carolina - Columbia
$83,557 · 5 yrs out
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
$83,113 · 5 yrs out
Longwood University
$82,929 · 5 yrs out
Furman University
$82,749 · 5 yrs out
Georgia College & State University
$82,614 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Austin
$82,497 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Oneonta
$82,185 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York College at Potsdam
$81,671 · 5 yrs out
Utah Valley University
$81,671 · 5 yrs out
Gustavus Adolphus College
$81,295 · 5 yrs out
Stephen F Austin State University
$81,295 · 5 yrs out
University of Oregon
$81,252 · 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