Physics Degree in Pittsburgh, PA — Salary & ROI 2026
Physics degree analysis for Pittsburgh, PA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$71K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$121K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.6 yrs
in Pittsburgh
Cost of Living
115
index (100 = avg)
Physics in Pittsburgh, PA Overview
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (pop. 302,971) has 12 colleges offering Physics programs. The local cost of living index of 115 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,285/month. Physics enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Quantum Mechanics and Thermodynamics. The adjusted starting salary in Pittsburgh is approximately $71,300, growing to $120,750 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
12
Public Tuition
$19,718/yr
Private Tuition
$61,344/yr
Room & Board
$15,793/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,441/yr
Unemployment
6.9%
Graduation Rate
63%
Physics Salary in Pittsburgh (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Pittsburgh's cost of living index of 115 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Physics salary: $62,000 starting, $105,000 mid-career, $130,000 senior level.Pittsburgh adjustment factor: 1.15x based on the local cost of living index.
Physics ROI Calculator for Pittsburgh
Estimate your return on investment for a Physics degree using local Pittsburgh tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $19,718 | Private avg: $61,344
Pittsburgh avg aid: $13,441/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$142,044
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$31,050
vs HS diploma in Pittsburgh
ROI Payback Period
4.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Pittsburgh
$720,456
Lifetime earnings premium ($862,500) minus total education cost ($142,044)
Student Loan Payoff for Physics in Pittsburgh
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Pittsburgh for Physics
University of Pittsburgh
public
$19,718/yr
$78,872 total
Carnegie Mellon University
private
$61,344/yr
$245,376 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Community College of Allegheny County
$5,070/yr
Top Employers for Physics in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Physics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Pittsburgh Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Physics Job Titles
Physics in Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Philadelphia, PA
$93K starting · COL 150
42 colleges
Allentown, PA
$70K starting · COL 113
5 colleges
Reading, PA
$73K starting · COL 118
3 colleges
Erie, PA
$74K starting · COL 120
4 colleges
Upper Darby, PA
$59K starting · COL 94.5
4 colleges
Scranton, PA
$74K starting · COL 120
8 colleges
Bethlehem, PA
$78K starting · COL 125
7 colleges
Lower Merion, PA
$57K starting · COL 91.4
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Pittsburgh
Prompt Engineering
$58K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$109K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$98K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$101K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$94K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$92K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Physics Degree in Pittsburgh — 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 Pittsburgh.