Physics at University of California-Davis

UC Davis physics graduates carry notably low debt—$16,464, which puts them in a favorable position compared to the national median of $23,304 for this field. The estimated first-year earnings of about $50,000 align closely with California's state median, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33 that should be manageable for most graduates entering the workforce or graduate school.

What's less certain is how Davis stacks up against its UC peers. While the four-year mark shows earnings climbing to nearly $67,000, the initial earnings estimate comes from pooling eleven California physics programs together. Other UC schools with reported data—like UCLA ($60,495) and UC Santa Barbara ($53,597) in the first year—suggest Davis graduates might land toward the middle of the pack among comparable institutions, though without school-specific data, this remains speculation.

The combination of below-average debt and earnings that track with state norms creates reasonable financial math for this program. Physics degrees often lead to graduate school or technical careers where initial salaries matter less than trajectory, and starting with under $17,000 in debt preserves that flexibility. Parents should recognize they're working with estimates on the earnings side, but the debt picture is concrete and encouraging.