Physics at Concordia University-Nebraska

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 suggests manageable financial footing for this physics degree, though these figures come from peer programs nationally rather than Concordia-Nebraska's actual graduate outcomes. With estimated first-year earnings of $47,670 and debt around $23,120, physics graduates from similar programs typically earn enough to handle their loan payments—a scenario that places them better than many other science majors at small private colleges. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln reports identical earnings figures, which makes sense given Nebraska's relatively uniform market for physics graduates, though those figures are also suppressed and estimated.

The real question is whether a selective public university's physics program offers similar outcomes for potentially lower cost, or whether Concordia's smaller class sizes and personalized attention justify comparable debt levels. Physics degrees generally lead to stable technical careers or graduate school, and the estimated debt here won't typically derail either path. However, parents should recognize they're making this investment without seeing this specific program's actual graduate outcomes—the small cohort size means the Department of Education can't publish the data.

If your child is committed to physics and drawn to Concordia's environment, the estimated financial picture isn't alarming. But reach out to the department directly to learn where recent graduates actually landed and what they're earning, since you're working without the federal data that normally helps validate these decisions.