Physics at Andrews University

A debt-to-earnings ratio under 0.5 is encouraging—even if the $47,670 salary figure comes from national peer programs rather than Andrews' own graduates. At an estimated $23,120 in debt, a physics graduate here would owe roughly half their first-year earnings, which falls comfortably below the threshold where loan payments become burdensome. The national benchmark suggests physics majors at comparable institutions typically earn around this amount, giving some confidence that Andrews' program produces similar results.

What complicates the picture is Michigan's wide range of physics outcomes. While University of Michigan physics grads report $53,000 in first-year earnings, Michigan State's figure of $33,400 shows how much variation exists even among established programs in the state. Andrews' estimated $47,670 would land somewhere in the middle, though without actual graduate data, it's impossible to know whether Andrews trends closer to the top or bottom of that spectrum. The school's 87% admission rate and modest SAT scores suggest it serves a different student population than Michigan's flagship universities.

For families considering this program, the estimated debt load is manageable enough that even if earnings come in below the national average, repayment shouldn't be crushing. But given the uncertainty and Michigan's track record of variable physics outcomes, have a backup plan if your student doesn't land a lab position or graduate program slot immediately after graduation.