Bachelor's+1% vs national median132 grads tracked
Physics at James Madison University
Ranked 75th of 165 bachelor's programs in Physics by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$46,171
middle 50%: $27,709 – $65,458
Median · 5 years out
$76,644
middle 50%: $52,165 – $100,747
Median · 10 years out
$105,066
middle 50%: $69,400 – $144,647
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 James Madison University's bachelor's program in Physics earn a median $46,171 one year after graduating, rising to $105,066 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 1% above the national median of $76,251 for this field, ranking 75th 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
5.8 yrs
≈ $6,718 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Colorado Boulder
$77,430 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at San Antonio
$77,044 · 5 yrs out
Purdue University
$76,854 · 5 yrs out
SUNY Buffalo State University
$76,770 · 5 yrs out
Randolph College
$76,770 · 5 yrs out
Georgia Southern University
$76,644 · 5 yrs out
Oregon State University
$76,435 · 5 yrs out
University of Utah
$76,251 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Stony Brook
$76,166 · 5 yrs out
Kennesaw State University
$76,015 · 5 yrs out
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
$76,015 · 5 yrs out
Truman State University
$76,015 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at James Madison University
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$149,041 · 5 yrs out
Psychology (Doctorate)
$113,393 · 5 yrs out
Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's)
$109,323 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$108,391 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$107,900 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$105,157 · 5 yrs out
Systems Science and Theory (Bachelor's)
$101,995 · 5 yrs out
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's)
$101,563 · 5 yrs out
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's)
$97,528 · 5 yrs out
Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's)
$97,305 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Bachelor's)
$94,450 · 5 yrs out
Engineering, General (Bachelor's)
$94,450 · 5 yrs out