Physics at CUNY Graduate School and University Center

A physics bachelor's degree from CUNY's Graduate School and University Center comes with estimated first-year earnings of $48,641—right at the state median—and projected debt of $19,842. Based on comparable physics programs in New York, this debt load translates to a manageable 0.41 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would owe roughly five months of their first year's salary. That's considerably better than the national benchmark, where physics majors typically carry $23,304 in debt.

The earnings estimate aligns closely with what CUNY City College physics graduates actually earn ($48,908), suggesting this projection is realistic for the CUNY system. While some New York programs like RPI command significantly higher starting salaries, those schools also come with steeper price tags. The Graduate School and University Center serves a substantial population of Pell grant recipients (38%), making the combination of near-median earnings with below-median debt particularly noteworthy.

For a physics degree, this estimated financial profile looks solid—the debt burden is modest enough that graduates can pursue graduate school or lower-paying research positions without being locked into immediate high-earning jobs. Just remember these figures are drawn from peer institutions rather than tracked outcomes from this specific program, so individual results will vary based on the actual job market and graduate school opportunities students pursue.