Physics at Aquinas College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 suggests a manageable financial outcome, but the picture here is hazier than usual. The federal government suppresses this program's actual outcomes because too few students complete it each year—a red flag about program scale that matters beyond just data availability. We're estimating around $47,670 in first-year earnings and $23,120 in debt based on national physics programs, which would be respectable numbers if they held true.

The challenge is that Michigan's physics graduates typically earn less than the national average—$43,210 versus $47,670—and Aquinas's smaller program may not command the same starting salaries as University of Michigan ($53,019) or even Michigan State ($33,400). Small physics programs can offer close faculty mentorship, but they may lack the research infrastructure and employer pipelines that drive higher starting pay in this field. With only 23% of students receiving Pell grants, Aquinas serves a relatively affluent population, which might offset debt concerns for many families but doesn't change the core question about earnings potential.

The fundamental issue is whether a physics degree from a small liberal arts college positions graduates as competitively as those from research universities. If your child is considering graduate school—common in physics—the bachelor's program is essentially preparation. But if they're planning to enter the workforce immediately, confirm what kinds of positions recent graduates have secured and at what salaries, because the estimated figures here could overstate what this specific program delivers.