Physics at Saginaw Valley State University

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49 suggests manageable leverage, though the complete picture here depends heavily on data we don't have. With small graduate cohorts, the Department of Education suppresses both earnings and debt figures for privacy, so the estimates shown—$47,670 in first-year earnings and $23,424 in debt—come from typical physics bachelor's programs nationally, not from tracking actual Saginaw Valley graduates.

The estimated earnings match the national median for physics degrees, which sounds reasonable, but Michigan's physics market shows considerable variation. The state median sits at $43,210, yet University of Michigan physics graduates earn $53,019 while Michigan State reports $33,400—a $20,000 spread that suggests outcomes depend significantly on where you study and what industries you access. Saginaw Valley's location in University Center puts it closer to automotive engineering hubs than to tech corridors, which could shape employment patterns in ways these national averages don't capture.

The practical question is whether your family feels comfortable betting $23,000 on estimates rather than verified outcomes. Physics programs typically produce solid returns, and the projected debt load isn't catastrophic. But without knowing how many students actually complete this program annually or where they land afterward, you're investing based on what similar programs accomplish elsewhere. If your child is genuinely passionate about physics and has backup plans for graduate school or specific career paths, the fundamentals look workable—just recognize you're making that call without the usual visibility into results.