Physics at Houghton University

A debt load of roughly $20,000 for a physics bachelor's degree is manageable in absolute terms, particularly when comparable programs across New York suggest first-year earnings around $49,000. That 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio falls comfortably below the rule-of-thumb threshold where repayment becomes burdensome, and the estimated debt figure sits below both the national median for physics programs and what many liberal arts graduates carry.

What makes this trickier to evaluate is that these figures come from peer institutions rather than Houghton's own graduates—the actual cohort was too small for the Department of Education to report publicly. Physics programs at New York schools span a wide range, from Cornell's $51,000 outcomes to RPI's $60,000, and we can't pinpoint exactly where Houghton falls. The estimated $49,000 aligns with the state median, suggesting comparable programs produce graduates who land near the national benchmark for physics majors rather than at either extreme.

For parents weighing this investment, the fundamentals look reasonable: physics degrees generally lead to technical careers with solid earning potential, and the estimated debt burden isn't alarming. However, you're making this decision with less certainty than you'd have at schools with publicly reported outcomes. If graduate school is the plan—common for physics majors—that manageable debt becomes even more important, since it won't compound into a crushing load during additional years of study.