Physics at University of Connecticut-Stamford

A $32,000 starting salary for a physics degree is jarring—it's $15,000 below the national median and places this program in the bottom 10% nationally. Before dismissing UConn-Stamford outright, though, consider two critical factors: the sample size is extremely small (under 30 graduates), meaning these numbers could swing dramatically with just a few data points, and this campus serves a heavily working-class student body (50% Pell recipients) where students may prioritize staying local over maximizing immediate earnings. The debt load of $26,324 is actually reasonable, keeping the debt-to-earnings ratio under 1.0.

The Connecticut comparison tells an interesting story—at the 60th percentile statewide, this program actually performs slightly above the state median. All UConn system campuses report identical figures, suggesting either data aggregation issues or genuine parity across locations. Physics graduates typically see strong mid-career growth, but starting this far below the national baseline means even with trajectory improvements, these students may never catch peers from stronger programs.

For families drawn to the accessibility (80% admission rate, modest tuition), this could work if your child needs to stay in the Stamford area or plans graduate school where the UConn name carries weight. But if they can access the main Storrs campus or afford out-of-state options, the national earnings gap is too substantial to ignore—we're talking about potentially $60,000+ in lost earnings over the first four years alone.