Engineering Physics: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 5 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Engineering Physics pays
Career outlook for Engineering Physics graduates
The job market for the occupations Engineering Physics graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and engineering managers | 212,500 | +3.8% | $167,740 | Bachelor's degree |
| Engineers, all other | 158,800 | +2.1% | $117,750 | Bachelor's degree |
| Natural sciences managers | 104,300 | +3.7% | $161,180 | Bachelor's degree |
| Engineering teachers, postsecondary | 50,300 | +8.1% | $106,120 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Physicists | 24,600 | +4.0% | $166,290 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Engineering Physics vs similar majors
How Engineering Physics stacks up against the closest fields in Engineering on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Engineering Physics Engineering · this major | Operations Research | Systems Engineering | Computer Engineering | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 91 A | 94 A | 88 A | 91 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $93,472 | $168,920 | $135,617 | $112,722 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $68,514 | $91,796 | $111,379 | $81,735 |
| ROI vs cost | +503% | +1,484% | +996% | +745% |
| Typical debt | $22,879 | $17,166 | $29,370 | $22,332 |
| Colleges offering it | 5 | 6 | 26 | 168 |
Engineering Physics earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Engineering Physics
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX | Associate's | $64,774 | — | +1,947% | Strong return |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL | Associate's | $109,155 | $20,136 | +1,680% | Strong return |
| 3 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO | Associate's | $111,748 | — | +1,217% | Strong return |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville Platteville, WI | Associate's | $85,157 | $27,000 | +858% | Strong return |
| 5 | Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO | Associate's | $96,528 | $21,500 | +690% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.