Physics at Portland State University
Portland, OR · Bachelor's Degree · about 18 graduates a year
Portland State University graduates in physics earn 14% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 26% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Portland State University 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 | — |
| … | |||||
| 27 | West Virginia Wesleyan College Buckhannon, WV | $89,430 | $105,801 | #5 | — |
| 28 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ | $88,207 | $90,634 | #16 | — |
| 29 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, CA | $87,856 | $79,943 | #43 | $64,045 |
| 30 | Portland State University Portland, OR | $87,488 | $88,003 | #24 | $62,749 |
| 31 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI | $87,033 | $90,562 | #17 | — |
| 32 | Stockton University Galloway, NJ | $86,849 | $76,226 | #52 | — |
| 33 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | $86,504 | $78,713 | #47 | — |
Other Majors at Portland State University by Graduate Pay
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Portland State University physics graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $62,749 one year after graduating and $87,488 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Portland State University rank for physics?
Among 107 colleges reporting earnings for physics graduates, Portland State University ranks #30 by median pay four years after graduation, and #24 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is physics at Portland State University worth it?
Its graduates earn 14% more than the national median for physics ($76,786), and the median federal debt at graduation is $22,358.
← All data for Portland State University · 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.