COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Physics bachelor's degree at Appalachian State University
Boone, NC · Public
What this page covers
Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.
The short version
Reported earnings are close to similar programs.
$5,613 above the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- 26.8% of annual earnings
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- $48,498 / year
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- +51% · Positive payoff
- Available price data
- College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$193,990
$14,000Annual price+$137,990
$17,000Current college-wide context+$125,990
$28,000Annual price+$81,990
$42,000Annual price+$25,990
$56,000Annual price−$30,010
$70,000Annual price−$86,010
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT
Size, aid and an earnings floor.
The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$32,203Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$82,399$50,196 above the preliminary benchmark
Additional borrowing reported for this category: 15 Parent PLUS borrowers.
Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.
01 · PRICE CONTEXT$16,836
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$22,096
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$82,399
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$234/mo
Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.
WHAT WILL IT COST?
Published college costs provide the starting point.
Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.
Enter my price →AVERAGE NET PRICE$16,836Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$23,169Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE90.1%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE74.5%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?
Reported earnings after completion.
Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
3.4% of gross monthly earnings
Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.
Gross monthly earnings$6,867
Estimated loan payment$234
40borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$82,399 vs. $76,786
$5,613 above the national median for the same field and credential.
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?
Related occupations, wages and outlook.
Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.
BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.Physicists$174,180 median wageNC estimate · 150 jobs · 19-2012$81,370–$209,210 middle 50% of NC wages+7.2% projected U.S. growth · 1,300 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeNatural Sciences Managers$173,870 median wageNC estimate · 6,010 jobs · 11-9121$134,460–$216,510 middle 50% of NC wages+8.2% projected U.S. growth · 9,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePhysics Teachers, Postsecondary$87,370 median wageNC estimate · 440 jobs · 25-1054$66,600–$131,280 middle 50% of NC wages+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$57,650 median wageNC estimate · 28,620 jobs · 25-2031$47,760–$60,740 middle 50% of NC wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree
CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS
Where graduates work five years later
The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Manufacturing
Educational Services
Health Care and Social Assistance
Retail Trade
Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.
Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
$21,078 higher earnings · $2,896 less debt · $5,181 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $103,477
- Debt
- $19,200
- Annual net price
- $11,655
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
$7,545 higher earnings · $1,401 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $89,944
- Debt
- $28,750
- Annual net price
- $15,435
University of California, Irvine
$13,816 higher earnings · $7,096 less debt · $2,585 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $96,215
- Debt
- $15,000
- Annual net price
- $14,251
University of California, Berkeley
$13,644 higher earnings · $6,588 less debt · $3,355 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $96,043
- Debt
- $15,508
- Annual net price
- $13,481
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
20 observations in the earnings cohort
June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release
Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page
Your price and current earnings determine the result.
Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.
Calculate my payoff →