WhatGradsMake
Master's-22% vs national median98 grads tracked

Physical Sciences at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Ranked 122nd of 132 master's programs in Physical Sciences by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$47,243
middle 50%: $31,024 – $62,487
Median · 5 years out
$64,930
middle 50%: $42,371 – $93,834
Median · 10 years out
$78,278
middle 50%: $64,138 – $99,879

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 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology's master's program in Physical Sciences earn a median $47,243 one year after graduating, rising to $78,278 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 22% below the national median of $83,137 for this field, ranking 122nd 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
6.3 yrs
≈ $7,220 total interest

Same major at other universities

Ohio University
$70,298 · 5 yrs out
Missouri State University
$69,890 · 5 yrs out
SUNY College of Environment Science & Forestry
$68,702 · 5 yrs out
Montana State University Bozeman
$67,746 · 5 yrs out
Old Dominion University
$67,412 · 5 yrs out
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
$67,042 · 5 yrs out
University of Maine
$64,402 · 5 yrs out
Indiana State University
$63,451 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
$61,827 · 5 yrs out
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
$61,332 · 5 yrs out
Marshall University
$60,076 · 5 yrs out
Western Carolina University
$59,848 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Master's)
$116,180 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$112,340 · 5 yrs out
Metallurgical Engineering (Bachelor's)
$108,882 · 5 yrs out
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's)
$108,803 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$104,398 · 5 yrs out
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's)
$101,236 · 5 yrs out
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's)
$101,165 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$99,134 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$98,571 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$98,571 · 5 yrs out
Industrial Engineering (Certificate)
$97,802 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Certificate)
$97,530 · 5 yrs out

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