Physics

Bachelor's degree · California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA

CIP 40.08

—Median earnings 1 year after graduating
$96,805Median earnings 4 years after
$114,864Median earnings 5 years after
$23,886Median federal debt
35Graduates per year

How this program compares

Graduates of the bachelor's degree program in Physics at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo earn a median of $76,364. Nationally, bachelor's degree graduates in this field earn a median of $76,786 four years after graduating (middle half: $51,777–$102,948). Median debt is $23,886, about 31% of first-year earnings – a manageable level by common guidelines.

Physics (Bachelor's degree) at other California schools

CollegeEarnings (1 yr)Median debt
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona
$64,045$23,000
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles
$60,495$21,000
California State University-San Bernardino
San Bernardino
$57,114—
California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos
$56,018$19,000
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara
$53,597$15,965
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley
$50,219$15,000
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla
$48,951$18,000
University of California-Irvine
Irvine
$43,144$13,590
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach
$42,057$18,654
University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz
$37,859$16,250
University of California-Riverside
Riverside
$19,977$19,000

Highest-paying Physics programs nationwide →

Other programs at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Frequently asked questions

How much do Physics graduates from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo make?

The median salary is $76,364 and $114,864 after five years.

How much student debt do graduates have?

Graduates who borrowed federal loans owe a median of $23,886.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release (Field of Study data). Earnings are for graduates who received federal financial aid.