Physicsat University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus
Graduates earn $32,341/yr in their first year — about 30.0% below the national Physics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $417K; scenarios range from $412K to $407K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UConn Waterbury
Your physics degree from UConn-Waterbury offers a robust foundation, but the local job market and program structure here naturally shape career outcomes. Unlike larger research-focused campuses that funnel graduates into highly specialized, often PhD-requiring roles in advanced physics or engineering, this program frequently prepares students for regional opportunities. You'll often find yourself in teaching positions, or roles applying analytical skills in local industries where a broad STEM background is valued, rather than directly as a research physicist. The Waterbury area’s economy doesn't have the same density of high-paying R&D firms or national labs. To truly access the highest-earning physics careers, you'll likely need to pursue advanced degrees or proactively seek internships outside the immediate region to build specific industry connections.
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 UConn Waterbury'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 UConn Waterbury stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UConn Waterbury
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UConn Waterbury, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Physics at UConn Waterbury
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Physics at University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus?
A score of 28/100 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 $412,278 in decade earnings vs $406,861 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Physics from University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.