Physics Degree in Columbia, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Physics degree analysis for Columbia, MD. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$79K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$134K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3 yrs
in Columbia
Cost of Living
127.2
index (100 = avg)
Physics in Columbia, MD Overview
While Columbia has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Physics students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,096/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 Columbia is approximately $78,864, growing to $133,560 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,800/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,096/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,277/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
68%
Physics Salary in Columbia (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Columbia's cost of living index of 127.2 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Physics salary: $62,000 starting, $105,000 mid-career, $130,000 senior level.Columbia adjustment factor: 1.27x based on the local cost of living index.
Physics ROI Calculator for Columbia
Estimate your return on investment for a Physics degree using local Columbia tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,800 | Private avg: $42,000
Columbia avg aid: $11,277/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$103,584
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$34,344
vs HS diploma in Columbia
ROI Payback Period
3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Columbia
$850,416
Lifetime earnings premium ($954,000) minus total education cost ($103,584)
Student Loan Payoff for Physics in Columbia
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Columbia for Physics
Columbia State University
public
$10,473/yr
$41,892 total
University of Columbia
public
$12,187/yr
$48,748 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Columbia Community College
$6,406/yr
Top Employers for Physics in Columbia
Columbia offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Physics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Columbia Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Physics Job Titles
Physics in Nearby Maryland Cities
Baltimore, MD
$81K starting · COL 130
22 colleges
Silver Spring, MD
$76K starting · COL 122.5
4 colleges
Frederick, MD
$70K starting · COL 112.5
4 colleges
Waldorf, MD
$75K starting · COL 120.7
4 colleges
Ellicott City, MD
$71K starting · COL 114.2
3 colleges
Glen Burnie, MD
$67K starting · COL 108.8
3 colleges
Rockville, MD
$80K starting · COL 128.5
3 colleges
Bethesda, MD
$72K starting · COL 116.7
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Columbia
Prompt Engineering
$64K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$121K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$108K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$112K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$104K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$64K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$102K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$64K starting · 3 yr ROI
Physics Degree in Columbia — 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 Columbia.