Physicsat Cornell University
Graduates earn $50,933/yr in their first year — about 10.0% above the national Physics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $549K; scenarios range from $510K to $557K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Cornell University
A Cornell Physics degree signals exceptional analytical rigor, opening doors far beyond Ithaca. Your training here, steeped in a leading research environment, primes you for competitive graduate programs and roles in national labs like Brookhaven or Los Alamos, or R&D departments in tech and finance. The robust alumni network is a significant asset, connecting you with opportunities across diverse industries valuing advanced problem-solving. While foundational physics roles are evolving with AI, your Cornell education equips you to lead these shifts, rather than be replaced by them, by applying complex modeling and data analysis. Focus on interdisciplinary skills, especially computational methods and data science, to future-proof your career and leverage the transformative power of AI in your field.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Cornell University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Physics
How Cornell University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Cornell University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Cornell University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Physics at Cornell University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Physics at Cornell University?
A score of 42/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Physics. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Physics careers?
With 50% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $510,451 in decade earnings vs $556,909 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Is Cornell University a hidden gem for Physics?
After financial aid, the average student pays $129,348 over four years — 51% below the $264,056 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.