Physics Degree in Oklahoma City, OK — Salary & ROI 2026
Physics degree analysis for Oklahoma City, OK. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$60K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$102K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3.2 yrs
in Oklahoma City
Cost of Living
97
index (100 = avg)
Physics in Oklahoma City, OK Overview
Oklahoma City is one of Oklahoma's top college towns, with 37 institutions and a student population of 35,923. Public tuition averages $7,756/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 Oklahoma City is approximately $60,140, growing to $101,850 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
37
Public Tuition
$7,756/yr
Private Tuition
$31,115/yr
Room & Board
$13,112/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,650/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
65%
Physics Salary in Oklahoma City (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Oklahoma City's cost of living index of 97 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Physics salary: $62,000 starting, $105,000 mid-career, $130,000 senior level.Oklahoma City adjustment factor: 0.97x based on the local cost of living index.
Physics ROI Calculator for Oklahoma City
Estimate your return on investment for a Physics degree using local Oklahoma City tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,756 | Private avg: $31,115
Oklahoma City avg aid: $12,650/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$83,472
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$26,190
vs HS diploma in Oklahoma City
ROI Payback Period
3.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Oklahoma City
$644,028
Lifetime earnings premium ($727,500) minus total education cost ($83,472)
Student Loan Payoff for Physics in Oklahoma City
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Oklahoma City for Physics
University of Central Oklahoma
public
$7,756/yr
$31,024 total
Oklahoma City University
private
$35,200/yr
$140,800 total
Oklahoma Christian University
private
$27,030/yr
$108,120 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Oklahoma City Community College
$3,870/yr
Top Employers for Physics in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Physics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Oklahoma City Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Physics Job Titles
Physics in Nearby Oklahoma Cities
Tulsa, OK
$52K starting · COL 84
15 colleges
Norman, OK
$53K starting · COL 86
10 colleges
Broken Arrow, OK
$57K starting · COL 91.8
5 colleges
Edmond, OK
$59K starting · COL 95.2
4 colleges
Lawton, OK
$51K starting · COL 82.5
4 colleges
Moore, OK
$55K starting · COL 89.3
3 colleges
Midwest City, OK
$56K starting · COL 91.1
3 colleges
Stillwater, OK
$54K starting · COL 87.3
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Oklahoma City
Prompt Engineering
$49K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$92K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$82K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$85K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$80K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$78K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Physics Degree in Oklahoma City — 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 Oklahoma City.