---

Physics at University of Wisconsin-Madison

If you are interested in studying Physics, consider the program at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Get started with the following essential facts.

University of Wisconsin-Madison is located in Madison, WI.

In the most recent year for which we have data, 128 physics degrees were awarded at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Online & Distance Learning at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Many students take online classes at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Among 51,044 students, 1,454 (3%) were enrolled entirely in distance education and 10,996 (22%) took at least some classes online.

Physics Rankings at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Rankings can help you compare University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Physics program to other colleges that offer this major.

Master’s-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Schools (Quality)	Wisconsin	#1 of 6
Best Value	Wisconsin	#4 of 6
Best Schools (Quality)	Great Lakes (Region)	#5 of 27
Best Value	Great Lakes (Region)	#9 of 27
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#58 of 259
Best Value	Nationwide	#125 of 257

Doctoral-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Schools (Quality)	Wisconsin	#1 of 6
Best Value	Wisconsin	#4 of 6
Best Schools (Quality)	Great Lakes (Region)	#5 of 27
Best Value	Great Lakes (Region)	#9 of 27
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#58 of 259
Best Value	Nationwide	#125 of 257

Earnings for Physics Graduates from University of Wisconsin-Madison

Graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Physics program earn the following amounts (per the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard):

Years After Graduation	Median Earnings
1 year	$45,916
2 years	$38,289
4 years	$69,988
5 years	$69,928

Is this above or below average for the school? Four years after graduating, Physics graduates from University of Wisconsin-Madison report median earnings of $69,988, compared with $74,335 for all University of Wisconsin-Madison graduates — about 6% lower than the school-wide median.

Median Debt at Graduation

Typical debt at graduation for Physics graduates from University of Wisconsin-Madison comes in at $20,500.

Student Demographics & Diversity

The following sections describe the student demographics for Physics graduates at University of Wisconsin-Madison, by degree type.

Across all degree levels, Physics graduates at University of Wisconsin-Madison are 19% women (24) and 81% men (104).

Physics Bachelor’s Program at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Of the 49 bachelor’s physics graduates at University of Wisconsin-Madison, 22% were women (11) and 78% were men (38).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Physics bachelor’s degree recipients at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	32
Hispanic / Latino	3
Asian	3
International (Nonresident)	8
Unknown	3

Minority students account for 12% of Physics bachelor’s degree recipients at University of Wisconsin-Madison, below the national average of 30%.*

Physics Master’s Program at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Of the 33 master’s physics degrees awarded at University of Wisconsin-Madison, 21% were women (7) and 79% were men (26).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Physics master’s degree recipients at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	13
Hispanic / Latino	2
Black / African American	1
Asian	1
Two or More Races	1
International (Nonresident)	13
Unknown	2

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 15% of Physics master’s degree recipients at University of Wisconsin-Madison, below the national average of 21%.*

Physics Doctoral Program at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Of the 25 doctoral physics degrees awarded at University of Wisconsin-Madison, 20% were women (5) and 80% were men (20).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Physics doctoral degree recipients at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	12
Hispanic / Latino	2
Asian	1
International (Nonresident)	8
Unknown	2

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 12% of Physics doctoral degree recipients at University of Wisconsin-Madison, below the national average of 14%.*

*The racial-ethnic minorities figure is the total number of graduates minus White, international (nonresident), and unknown-race graduates.

More Specific Physics Concentrations at University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Physics program at University of Wisconsin-Madison breaks down into more specific concentrations:

Concentration	Graduates
General Physics	128

Top-Paying Careers for Physics Graduates

Students who finish Physics program at University of Wisconsin-Madison go on to a range of careers. The table below ranks the best-paid careers for Physics graduates, ordered by median annual salary:

Occupation	Nationwide Median Wage
Water Resource Specialists	$179,716
Natural Sciences Managers	$132,227
Physicists	$111,776
Clinical Research Coordinators	$110,931
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary	$80,685
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$77,927

References

• IPEDS — Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
• U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard
• O*NET Online (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• National Center for Education Statistics

More about our data sources and methodologies.