Physics graduates from Purdue University-Main Campus earn $67,505 median salary — below the national average for this program. Median debt: $21,224.
Physics at Purdue University-Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Physics at Purdue University-Main Campus
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Purdue University-Main Campus and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Physics at the bachelor's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 53 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Purdue University-Main Campus, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $67,505 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $70,530 across all institutions offering Physics, graduates here earn below the national average for this program. Across all programs at Purdue University-Main Campus, the mean median-earnings figure is $78,065, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Physics graduates at Purdue University-Main Campus is $21,224, which translates to roughly $177 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Physics at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $131,025 | $18,500 |
| Cornell University | $118,649 | $15,961 |
| University of Notre Dame | $110,029 | $21,500 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $103,477 | $17,150 |
| Oregon State University | $103,167 | $24,250 |
| Oregon State University-Cascades Campus | $103,167 | $24,250 |
| Whitworth University | $99,842 | $19,500 |
| College of the Holy Cross | $99,165 | — |
| Le Moyne College | $99,009 | — |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | $96,805 | $23,886 |
Other Programs at Purdue University-Main Campus
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Business and Management | $155,217 | — |
| Computer Science | $146,685 | $19,136 |
| Engineering, Other | $140,404 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $140,205 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $137,523 | — |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $135,033 | $99,174 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $133,021 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $132,747 | $41,000 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $131,275 | $32,946 |
| Veterinary Medicine | $123,596 | $113,597 |
Other Schools with Physics
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About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.