Physicsat University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Graduates earn $51,019/yr in their first year — about 10.0% above the national Physics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $670K; scenarios range from $601K to $695K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UIUC
Graduates earn $51,019/yr, edging above the $46,482 national average for Physics — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.
With a 10.5x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 14% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Physics career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
At $19,500 in median debt against $51,019 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
A #22 ranking among 75 Physics programs places University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.
A 42% earnings increase from $51,019 to $72,340 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.
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 UIUC'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 UIUC stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UIUC
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UIUC, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Physics at UIUC
What does a 59/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Physics at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
At 59/100, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Physics program delivers middling returns. School cost and personal fit become important decision factors.
Should I worry about AI if I study Physics at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The 50% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.