Program Analysis
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Engineering Physics graduates start at $64,304/yr — above the $60,193 national average, though not by a wide margin.
The 15.4x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 52% task exposure — and the 22% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $20,136 in median debt clears quickly against $64,304 in annual earnings.
With only 8 programs offering Engineering Physics nationally, this is a niche field. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks #2 among them.
Earnings growth from $64,304 to $109,155 over five years (70% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.