Physics Degree in El Paso, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Physics degree analysis for El Paso, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$58K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$98K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3.6 yrs
in El Paso
Cost of Living
93
index (100 = avg)
Physics in El Paso, TX Overview
El Paso is one of Texas's top college towns, with 38 institutions and a student population of 26,186. Public tuition averages $8,886/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. Physics enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Quantum Mechanics and Thermodynamics. The adjusted starting salary in El Paso is approximately $57,660, growing to $97,650 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
38
Public Tuition
$8,886/yr
Private Tuition
$12,800/yr
Room & Board
$13,953/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$16,714/yr
Unemployment
4.4%
Graduation Rate
56%
Physics Salary in El Paso (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for El Paso's cost of living index of 93 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Physics salary: $62,000 starting, $105,000 mid-career, $130,000 senior level.El Paso adjustment factor: 0.93x based on the local cost of living index.
Physics ROI Calculator for El Paso
Estimate your return on investment for a Physics degree using local El Paso tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,886 | Private avg: $12,800
El Paso avg aid: $16,714/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$91,356
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$25,110
vs HS diploma in El Paso
ROI Payback Period
3.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in El Paso
$606,144
Lifetime earnings premium ($697,500) minus total education cost ($91,356)
Student Loan Payoff for Physics in El Paso
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in El Paso for Physics
University of Texas at El Paso
public
$8,592/yr
$34,368 total
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso
public
$9,180/yr
$36,720 total
Western Technical College
private
$12,800/yr
$51,200 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
El Paso Community College
$2,616/yr
Top Employers for Physics in El Paso
El Paso offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Physics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key El Paso Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Physics Job Titles
Physics in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$71K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$74K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$64K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$66K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$63K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
Arlington, TX
$58K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$51K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Plano, TX
$53K starting · COL 85
9 colleges
Other STEM Majors in El Paso
Prompt Engineering
$47K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$88K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$79K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$82K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$76K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$47K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$74K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$47K starting · 3 yr ROI
Physics Degree in El Paso — 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 El Paso.