Physics at Rochester Institute of Technology

RIT's physics program shows surprisingly modest outcomes given the school's strong technical reputation. While first-year earnings of $48,374 land near the national median, they trail most competitive New York physics programs—falling behind not just Rensselaer and Cornell, but also public options like City College and Stony Brook. The 40th percentile ranking among New York programs is particularly notable for an institution with selective admissions and high SAT scores.

The silver lining here is debt: at $27,000, RIT physics graduates carry significantly less burden than typical physics majors (5th percentile nationally), creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56. This positions the program as a financially safer choice than many peers, even if the earnings upside appears limited in the first year out.

The major caveat: this data comes from a small sample of fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes could vary considerably from these medians. For families weighing RIT against options like Stony Brook (similar earnings, likely lower tuition) or higher-earning programs at RPI, the question becomes whether RIT's co-op program and industry connections—factors not captured in year-one earnings—justify the private school investment. The low debt load suggests RIT is managing costs reasonably, but physics graduates here aren't commanding the premium you might expect from a tech-focused institution.