Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Physics bachelor's degree outcomes at University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC · Public · Federal field 4008

Data scope

Federal records group outcomes by college, four-digit field and credential level. A record may cover several catalog programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are notably above the same-degree benchmark.

$13,158 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
32.0% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$67,360 / year
10-year scenario
+86% · Positive payoff
Price evidence
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.

What stays fixed$89,944 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

Not availableEarnings growth, year 1 → 5$70,150Not available
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
Not availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
Not availableYear-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
30Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2023–24 first-major completions in this field and credential
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.

87Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
49Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
46Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$32,203Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$89,944$57,741 above the preliminary benchmark

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.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$15,435

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$28,750

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$89,944

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$305/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.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$15,435Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$23,010Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE79.6%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE69.0%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.

$70,150Year 1
$89,944Year 4
Not availableYear 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.1% 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$7,495
Estimated loan payment$305
30borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$89,944 vs. $76,786

$13,158 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
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+7.2% projected U.S. growth · 1.3k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeNatural Sciences Managers$173,870 median wageNC estimate · 6,010 jobs · 11-9121+8.2% projected U.S. growth · 9.2k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePhysics Teachers, Postsecondary$87,370 median wageNC estimate · 440 jobs · 25-1054+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 1.1k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$57,650 median wageNC estimate · 28,620 jobs · 25-2031-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63.5k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree
Possible alternatives

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.

Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

$13,533 higher earnings · $9,550 less debt · $3,780 lower annual net price

Earnings
$103,477
Debt
$19,200
Annual net price
$11,655
View outcomes →
Boone, NC

Appalachian State University

$6,654 less debt

Earnings
$82,399
Debt
$22,096
Annual net price
$16,836
View outcomes →
Raleigh, NC

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

$5,260 less debt

Earnings
$51,590
Debt
$23,490
Annual net price
$17,303
View outcomes →
Irvine, CA

University of California, Irvine

$6,271 higher earnings · $13,750 less debt · $1,184 lower annual net price

Earnings
$96,215
Debt
$15,000
Annual net price
$14,251
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

Not reported observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

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.

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