Physics at Bemidji State University

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 looks manageable on paper, but the uncertainty here matters. With both earnings and debt figures estimated from national peer programs rather than Bemidji State's actual outcomes, you're essentially betting on whether this specific program matches what physics bachelor's programs typically produce elsewhere. The estimated $47,670 first-year salary aligns with the national median, but Minnesota physics programs generally do better—the state median sits at $54,350, nearly $7,000 higher. Whether Bemidji State's graduates capture that Minnesota premium or fall closer to the national baseline makes a real difference in how quickly that $23,000 in debt gets paid down.

The comparison to University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is telling: they report actual outcomes showing graduates earning that higher Minnesota median. Physics is a field where the research resources, faculty credentials, and industry connections at your school can significantly impact both what you learn and where you land afterward. At an institution with a 71% admission rate and modest test scores, you'd want to scrutinize the program's specific strengths—lab facilities, faculty research activity, graduate school placement rates, employer relationships—since these tangible factors will determine whether your child's experience mirrors the stronger programs in the state or merely hits the national average that these estimates assume.