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Physical Sciences · Physics Rank #27 of 75

Physicsat University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Graduates earn $54,350/yr in their first year — about 17.0% above the national Physics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $614K; scenarios range from $559K to $631K depending on AI disruption.

Minneapolis, MN Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
58 SOLID
59
Optimistic
56
Pessimistic
Earnings
$54,350
1-year post-graduation
ROI
9.1x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$614K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
56% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Minnesota

First-year earnings of $54,350 at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities come in 17% above the national median of $46,482 for Physics programs.

A 9.3x earnings multiple over ten years puts this program in solid financial territory. Tuition is well-justified by projected earnings.

The 11% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Physics career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

With first-year pay of $54,350 far exceeding the $23,930 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

A #27 ranking among 75 Physics programs places University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.

A 22% earnings increase from $54,350 to $66,489 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$559K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score56/100
Earnings Multiple8.5x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$614K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score58/100
Earnings Multiple9.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$631K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score59/100
Earnings Multiple9.6x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Minnesota's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Physics graduates typically work

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.

1
Physicists
+4.0% 10-yr growth · 1,700 openings/yr
$166,290/yr
Very High
2
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
3
Physics teachers, postsecondary
+2.5% 10-yr growth · 1,300 openings/yr
$97,360/yr
Moderate
4
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
-1.6% 10-yr growth · 66,200 openings/yr
$64,580/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Physics

How University of Minnesota stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
NC · Public
62
DW Score
$70K
1-yr earn
23.3x
ROI
Top score
Brigham Young University
UT · Private nonprofit
74
DW Score
$69K
1-yr earn
36.5x
ROI
University of Pennsylvania
PA · Private nonprofit
47
DW Score
$68K
1-yr earn
1.6x
ROI
Whitworth University
WA · Private nonprofit
48
DW Score
$65K
1-yr earn
2.2x
ROI
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
CA · Public
70
DW Score
$64K
1-yr earn
24.0x
ROI
Also at University of Minnesota

Other top programs at University of Minnesota

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Minnesota, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Physics at University of Minnesota

What does a 58/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Physics at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities?

At 58/100, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities'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 Minnesota-Twin Cities?

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.