Physics Degree in Bloomington, IN — Salary & ROI 2026
Physics degree analysis for Bloomington, IN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$51K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$87K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.2 yrs
in Bloomington
Cost of Living
83
index (100 = avg)
Physics in Bloomington, IN Overview
While Bloomington has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Physics students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $12,831/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Physics enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Quantum Mechanics and Thermodynamics. The adjusted starting salary in Bloomington is approximately $51,460, growing to $87,150 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$10,948/yr
Private Tuition
$35,439/yr
Room & Board
$12,831/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,996/yr
Unemployment
5.2%
Graduation Rate
64%
Physics Salary in Bloomington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Bloomington's cost of living index of 83 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Physics salary: $62,000 starting, $105,000 mid-career, $130,000 senior level.Bloomington adjustment factor: 0.83x based on the local cost of living index.
Physics ROI Calculator for Bloomington
Estimate your return on investment for a Physics degree using local Bloomington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,948 | Private avg: $35,439
Bloomington avg aid: $13,996/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$95,116
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$22,410
vs HS diploma in Bloomington
ROI Payback Period
4.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Bloomington
$527,384
Lifetime earnings premium ($622,500) minus total education cost ($95,116)
Student Loan Payoff for Physics in Bloomington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Bloomington for Physics
Indiana University Bloomington
public
$10,948/yr
$43,792 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington
$4,540/yr
Top Employers for Physics in Bloomington
Bloomington offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Physics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Bloomington Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Physics Job Titles
Physics in Nearby Indiana Cities
Indianapolis, IN
$58K starting · COL 94
25 colleges
Fort Wayne, IN
$64K starting · COL 103
24 colleges
Evansville, IN
$53K starting · COL 86
10 colleges
South Bend, IN
$55K starting · COL 89
9 colleges
Carmel, IN
$65K starting · COL 105.2
4 colleges
Fishers, IN
$62K starting · COL 100.5
4 colleges
Hammond, IN
$58K starting · COL 93.1
4 colleges
Lafayette, IN
$53K starting · COL 84.8
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Bloomington
Prompt Engineering
$42K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$79K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$71K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$73K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$68K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$42K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$66K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$42K starting · 3 yr ROI
Physics Degree in Bloomington — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Physics ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Bloomington.