Physics at University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA · Bachelor's Degree · about 183 graduates a year
University of California-Santa Barbara graduates in physics earn 11% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 19% of one year’s pay at that point.
How University of California-Santa Barbara Compares for Physics
All 107 colleges reporting physics earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | Adj. rank | 1 yr after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | $131,025 | $115,381 | #2 | $54,773 |
| 2 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY | $118,649 | $112,929 | #3 | $50,933 |
| 3 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN | $110,029 | $118,041 | #1 | — |
| 4 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | $103,477 | $111,046 | #4 | $62,647 |
| 5 | Oregon State University Corvallis, OR | $103,167 | $103,775 | #7 | $48,169 |
| 6 | Oregon State University-Cascades Campus Bend, OR | $103,167 | $103,775 | #8 | $48,169 |
| 7 | Whitworth University Spokane, WA | $99,842 | $91,833 | #15 | $65,316 |
| 8 | College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA | $99,165 | $87,325 | #29 | — |
| 9 | Le Moyne College Syracuse, NY | $99,009 | $94,236 | #13 | — |
| 10 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | $96,805 | $88,086 | #22 | — |
| … | |||||
| 35 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | $85,708 | $77,989 | #48 | $60,495 |
| 36 | Bethel University Saint Paul, MN | $85,657 | $81,821 | #39 | — |
| 37 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls River Falls, WI | $85,638 | $89,110 | #19 | $62,196 |
| 38 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | $85,219 | $77,544 | #50 | $53,597 |
| 39 | Georgia College & State University Milledgeville, GA | $85,089 | $88,084 | #23 | $62,478 |
| 40 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, GA | $82,431 | $85,333 | #31 | — |
| 41 | Appalachian State University Boone, NC | $82,399 | $88,426 | #21 | — |
Other Majors at University of California-Santa Barbara by Graduate Pay
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do University of California-Santa Barbara physics graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $53,597 one year after graduating and $85,219 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does University of California-Santa Barbara rank for physics?
Among 107 colleges reporting earnings for physics graduates, University of California-Santa Barbara ranks #38 by median pay four years after graduation, and #50 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is physics at University of California-Santa Barbara worth it?
Its graduates earn 11% more than the national median for physics ($76,786), and the median federal debt at graduation is $15,965.
← All data for University of California-Santa Barbara · Methodology
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.