Physics at University of North Carolina Wilmington

Physics programs in North Carolina cluster around $63,000 in first-year earnings, and UNCW's estimated outcomes land squarely in that middle range—notably above the national median of $47,670 but below UNC Charlotte's stronger $70,150. With estimated debt of $22,793, graduates would owe about 36% of their first-year salary, a manageable ratio that suggests the degree could pay for itself relatively quickly.

The challenge here is limited visibility. Because UNCW's actual graduate outcomes aren't published due to small sample sizes, these estimates draw from just three comparable physics programs statewide. That's a thin basis for a major financial decision, especially when peer programs in North Carolina show substantial variation—NC State's physics graduates, for instance, start around $43,740, nearly $20,000 less than this estimate suggests for UNCW.

Your best move is treating these figures as directional rather than definitive. Physics bachelor's degrees generally lead to solid entry-level earnings, and UNCW's small program size (which triggered the data suppression) might actually indicate more personalized attention. But before committing, talk to the department directly about where recent graduates actually landed—job titles, employers, starting salaries. The estimated numbers suggest reasonable value, but you need school-specific placement data to confirm whether UNCW's particular program delivers on that promise.