Physical Sciences at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

John Jay's Physical Sciences program performs at the 95th percentile nationally for earnings while charging less than half the typical debt for this field—just $11,109 versus a national median of $22,250. That's an exceptional combination for a program at a moderately selective school where nearly 60% of students receive Pell grants. The low debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.27 means graduates owe roughly three months' salary, making this one of the most financially accessible paths into physical sciences in the country.

Within New York, the picture is more nuanced. While this program sits at the 60th percentile for in-state earnings, it's worth noting there are only seven physical sciences programs statewide, so the state comparison is limited. The median salary of $41,587 essentially matches both the state and national benchmarks, meaning graduates earn what you'd expect from this degree—but they do it with dramatically less debt burden than peers elsewhere.

For New York families, particularly those concerned about college affordability, this represents a straightforward value proposition: your child gets a legitimate physical sciences education at roughly half the financial risk of most programs nationally. The first-year earnings won't set records, but the manageable debt means graduates have genuine financial flexibility after graduation rather than being locked into debt repayment for years.