Bachelor's-10% vs national median191 grads tracked
Physics at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Ranked 122nd of 165 bachelor's programs in Physics by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$42,201
middle 50%: $26,405 – $63,477
Median · 5 years out
$68,560
middle 50%: $48,803 – $98,678
Median · 10 years out
$99,411
middle 50%: $63,044 – $138,647
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Physics (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Physics graduates earn a median salary of $42,201 in their first year. This increases to a median of $99,411 after ten years.
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
≈ $7,443 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of North Georgia
$69,154 · 5 yrs out
Montana State University Bozeman
$69,154 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Brooklyn College
$69,154 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at New Paltz
$69,154 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Arlington
$69,154 · 5 yrs out
Georgia State University
$68,867 · 5 yrs out
Carleton College
$68,521 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Buffalo
$68,249 · 5 yrs out
Ohio University
$68,249 · 5 yrs out
Clemson University
$68,098 · 5 yrs out
University of Wyoming
$68,098 · 5 yrs out
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
$67,987 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$227,440 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$191,060 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$179,858 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$176,530 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$153,901 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$153,036 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctorate)
$143,232 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$140,310 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$139,926 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$134,767 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$133,218 · 5 yrs out
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's)
$127,595 · 5 yrs out