Physics at University of Southern Indiana

A bachelor's in physics typically opens doors to technical careers, but the financial picture here depends heavily on what "typical" means for a smaller program. Based on national benchmarks for physics degrees, first-year earnings around $47,670 paired with $23,424 in estimated debt yields a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49—roughly half a year's salary, which most financial advisors consider reasonable. However, these figures come from national medians across similar programs, not USI's actual graduate outcomes, so there's real uncertainty about whether this school's physics majors reach those levels.

The state context raises questions. Indiana's median for physics programs sits at just $30,203—substantially below the national figure used in this estimate. Even Purdue, the state's flagship with strong STEM credentials, reports that same $30,203 median for physics graduates. If USI's outcomes track closer to Indiana norms than national ones, you're looking at debt that equals nearly 80% of first-year earnings rather than 50%, a considerably tighter financial squeeze in those early career years.

Given USI's open admission profile, the safest assumption is that outcomes lean closer to state averages than national benchmarks. If your student is set on physics, dig into whether graduates from this specific program secure positions that justify bachelor's-level debt, or whether many continue to graduate school (where physics often leads). Without actual placement data from USI, treating this as a $30K earning potential against $23K debt offers a more conservative planning baseline.