Master's+1% vs national median277 grads tracked
Physical Sciences at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Ranked 50th of 132 master's programs in Physical Sciences by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$59,748
middle 50%: $39,904 – $82,771
Median · 5 years out
$83,858
middle 50%: $61,121 – $115,806
Median · 10 years out
$116,020
middle 50%: $82,210 – $164,069
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
Physical Sciences master's graduates from UNC-Chapel Hill earn a median of $60k in their first year. Salaries reach $84k by year five and $116k by 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
5 yrs
≈ $5,531 total interest
Same major at other universities
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
$85,898 · 5 yrs out
Georgia Institute of Technology
$85,775 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at El Paso
$85,523 · 5 yrs out
University of Alabama in Huntsville
$85,473 · 5 yrs out
University of Michigan
$84,962 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Albany
$84,962 · 5 yrs out
Binghamton University
$83,557 · 5 yrs out
Colorado State University
$83,321 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - Madison
$83,297 · 5 yrs out
University of New Orleans (The)
$83,137 · 5 yrs out
East Carolina University
$83,018 · 5 yrs out
University of Utah
$82,929 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$214,723 · 5 yrs out
Dentistry (Doctorate)
$192,150 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$178,780 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$167,515 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$151,181 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$150,648 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$147,757 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$140,602 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$127,840 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$125,175 · 5 yrs out
Journalism (Bachelor's)
$124,373 · 5 yrs out
Library Science (Doctorate)
$121,393 · 5 yrs out