Physics Degree in Naperville, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Physics degree analysis for Naperville, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$63K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$107K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.6 yrs
in Naperville
Cost of Living
102
index (100 = avg)
Physics in Naperville, IL Overview
Naperville, Illinois (pop. 149,540) has 13 colleges offering Physics programs. The local cost of living index of 102 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $774/month. Physics enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Quantum Mechanics and Thermodynamics. The adjusted starting salary in Naperville is approximately $63,240, growing to $107,100 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
13
Public Tuition
$8,287/yr
Private Tuition
$44,540/yr
Room & Board
$9,415/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,671/yr
Unemployment
6.8%
Graduation Rate
69%
Physics Salary in Naperville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Naperville's cost of living index of 102 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Physics salary: $62,000 starting, $105,000 mid-career, $130,000 senior level.Naperville adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Physics ROI Calculator for Naperville
Estimate your return on investment for a Physics degree using local Naperville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,287 | Private avg: $44,540
Naperville avg aid: $13,671/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$70,808
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$27,540
vs HS diploma in Naperville
ROI Payback Period
2.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Naperville
$694,192
Lifetime earnings premium ($765,000) minus total education cost ($70,808)
Student Loan Payoff for Physics in Naperville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Naperville for Physics
North Central College
private
$44,540/yr
$178,160 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
College of DuPage
$4,980/yr
Top Employers for Physics in Naperville
Naperville offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Physics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Naperville Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Physics Job Titles
Physics in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$68K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Aurora, IL
$58K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$67K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Rockford, IL
$56K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Elgin, IL
$49K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$57K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$64K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$56K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Naperville
Prompt Engineering
$51K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$97K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$87K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$90K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Physics Degree in Naperville — 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 Naperville.