Physics Degree in Los Angeles, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Physics degree analysis for Los Angeles, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$87K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$148K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3.3 yrs
in Los Angeles
Cost of Living
141
index (100 = avg)
Physics in Los Angeles, CA Overview
Los Angeles is one of California's top college towns, with 69 institutions and a student population of 322,771. Public tuition averages $13,804/year here — near the national average for public universities. Physics enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Quantum Mechanics and Thermodynamics. The adjusted starting salary in Los Angeles is approximately $87,420, growing to $148,050 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
69
Public Tuition
$13,804/yr
Private Tuition
$59,151/yr
Room & Board
$17,998/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,255/yr
Unemployment
3.4%
Graduation Rate
47%
Physics Salary in Los Angeles (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Los Angeles's cost of living index of 141 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Physics salary: $62,000 starting, $105,000 mid-career, $130,000 senior level.Los Angeles adjustment factor: 1.41x based on the local cost of living index.
Physics ROI Calculator for Los Angeles
Estimate your return on investment for a Physics degree using local Los Angeles tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,804 | Private avg: $59,151
Los Angeles avg aid: $8,255/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$127,208
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$38,070
vs HS diploma in Los Angeles
ROI Payback Period
3.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Los Angeles
$930,292
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,057,500) minus total education cost ($127,208)
Student Loan Payoff for Physics in Los Angeles
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Los Angeles for Physics
UCLA
public
$13,804/yr
$55,216 total
USC
private
$63,468/yr
$253,872 total
Loyola Marymount University
private
$54,834/yr
$219,336 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Los Angeles City College
$1,540/yr
Santa Monica College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Physics in Los Angeles
Los Angeles offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Physics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Los Angeles Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Physics Job Titles
Physics in Nearby California Cities
San Diego, CA
$87K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$80K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$71K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$73K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$69K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$72K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$82K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Bakersfield, CA
$83K starting · COL 134
18 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Los Angeles
Prompt Engineering
$71K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$134K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$120K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$124K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$116K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$71K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$113K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$71K starting · 3 yr ROI
Physics Degree in Los Angeles — 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 Los Angeles.