Bachelor's+3% vs national median232 grads tracked
Physics at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Ranked 63rd of 165 bachelor's programs in Physics by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$49,269
middle 50%: $32,044 – $83,557
Median · 5 years out
$78,305
middle 50%: $53,962 – $106,309
Median · 10 years out
$118,654
middle 50%: $74,682 – $158,399
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 graduates from Virginia Tech start with a median salary of $49k. Ten-year earnings reach a median of $119k.
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
5.6 yrs
≈ $6,414 total interest
Same major at other universities
Presbyterian College
$79,157 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Dallas
$79,157 · 5 yrs out
Miami University
$79,032 · 5 yrs out
Saint Olaf College
$78,948 · 5 yrs out
Colorado State University
$78,915 · 5 yrs out
Norfolk State University
$78,843 · 5 yrs out
Metropolitan State University of Denver
$77,901 · 5 yrs out
Augusta University
$77,901 · 5 yrs out
Macalester College
$77,901 · 5 yrs out
University of Alabama in Huntsville
$77,631 · 5 yrs out
University of Northern Iowa
$77,631 · 5 yrs out
University of Colorado Boulder
$77,430 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$160,426 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$155,674 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$148,193 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$132,072 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$130,533 · 5 yrs out
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's)
$129,123 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$125,251 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$125,251 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$121,443 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$119,838 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$116,512 · 5 yrs out
Education (Doctorate)
$109,749 · 5 yrs out