PlotFuture PlotFuture
PlotFuture / Majors / 40.08

What can you do with a
Physics degree?

Physics is mid-paying, AI barely touches it, and you would have escape routes.

Is this major worth the money?

Real graduate earnings vs. the debt you'd carry — and how long it takes to pay off.
5.0 yrs
to pay back the degree
+$23k
earnings premium vs no degree
Median earnings
$68,215
Typical debt
$21,500
4-yr net cost
$65,824
Monthly loan payment
$245/mo
If you earn:

Where this major actually leads

4 careers it opens — bar color = AI risk, tag = how hard the path is.
Natural Sciences Managerscommon
AI risk 6 → 57 future · +3.7% demand
$120,380
Physics Teachers, Postsecondarystretch
AI risk 0 → 42 future · +2.5% demand
$88,000
Physicistsstretch
AI risk 27 → 75 future · +4.0% demand
$82,924
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Educationstretch
AI risk 29 → 33 future · -1.6% demand
$55,550
● green = AI-safe · red = AI-exposed · click any career for the full breakdown
How this is built. We take every career this major leads to (CIP→SOC official crosswalk), then join each one's real salary (BLS/DOL), AI exposure (O*NET + model), demand growth, and skill-based escape routes. ROI from College Scorecard. Every figure here is joined from official sources, not estimated.