Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $37,859 place University of California-Santa Cruz below the $46,482 national median for Physics — worth weighing against tuition and cost of living.
At 7.8x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 50% task exposure — and the 2% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $37,859 far exceeding the $16,250 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
At #65 out of 75 programs, University of California-Santa Cruz's financial outcomes for Physics trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.