Physics Degree in Renton, WA — Salary & ROI 2026
Physics degree analysis for Renton, WA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$76K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$129K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3.4 yrs
in Renton
Cost of Living
122.5
index (100 = avg)
Physics in Renton, WA Overview
While Renton has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Physics students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,923/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Physics enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Quantum Mechanics and Thermodynamics. The adjusted starting salary in Renton is approximately $75,950, growing to $128,625 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$11,800/yr
Private Tuition
$40,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,923/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,424/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
64%
Physics Salary in Renton (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Renton's cost of living index of 122.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Physics salary: $62,000 starting, $105,000 mid-career, $130,000 senior level.Renton adjustment factor: 1.23x based on the local cost of living index.
Physics ROI Calculator for Renton
Estimate your return on investment for a Physics degree using local Renton tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,800 | Private avg: $40,000
Renton avg aid: $15,424/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$110,892
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$33,075
vs HS diploma in Renton
ROI Payback Period
3.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Renton
$807,858
Lifetime earnings premium ($918,750) minus total education cost ($110,892)
Student Loan Payoff for Physics in Renton
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Renton for Physics
Renton State University
public
$11,303/yr
$45,212 total
University of Renton
public
$13,258/yr
$53,032 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Renton Community College
$5,805/yr
Top Employers for Physics in Renton
Renton offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Physics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Renton Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Physics Job Titles
Physics in Nearby Washington Cities
Seattle, WA
$74K starting · COL 120
16 colleges
Spokane, WA
$75K starting · COL 121
20 colleges
Tacoma, WA
$70K starting · COL 113
25 colleges
Vancouver, WA
$67K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Bellevue, WA
$111K starting · COL 178.5
6 colleges
Kent, WA
$72K starting · COL 115.8
6 colleges
Everett, WA
$73K starting · COL 118.2
5 colleges
Spokane Valley, WA
$76K starting · COL 123.1
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Renton
Prompt Engineering
$61K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$116K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$104K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$108K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$100K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$98K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Physics Degree in Renton — 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 Renton.