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Physical Sciences · Physics Rank #7 of 75

Physicsat University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Graduates earn $54,428/yr in their first year — about 17.0% above the national Physics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $767K; scenarios range from $673K to $805K depending on AI disruption.

La Crosse, WI Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
69 SOLID
70
Optimistic
67
Pessimistic
Earnings
$54,428
1-year post-graduation
ROI
20.9x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$767K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
56% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

The strong performance of this Physics program highlights how a rigorous curriculum, even at a regional public university, can launch successful careers. Your strong quantitative and problem-solving skills will be highly valued across diverse industries, not just traditional physics roles. Graduates often find themselves in advanced manufacturing, R&D in tech or defense, data science, or even financial analysis, where their analytical rigor sets them apart. While the La Crosse area itself isn't a major physics hub, the program likely focuses on transferable skills, preparing you for competitive job markets in nearby larger cities or across the country.

However, the high AI risk associated with this field means you must strategically adapt. Focus intensely on developing skills that AI can't easily replicate: complex experimental design, creative problem-solving, interdisciplinary collaboration, and effective communication. Seek out research opportunities and internships that emphasize these higher-level cognitive functions. Diversifying your skillset with computational methods and data science applications will ensure your long-term career resilience and open up even more opportunities in management or specialized R&D.

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
$673K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score67/100
Earnings Multiple17.4x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$767K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score69/100
Earnings Multiple19.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$805K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score70/100
Earnings Multiple20.9x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Wisconsin-La Crosse'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 Wisconsin-La Crosse 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 Wisconsin-La Crosse

Other top programs at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Physics at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Physics at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse?

A score of 69/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Physics field.

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 $672,869 in decade earnings vs $805,154 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.