Physics Degree in Salt Lake City, UT — Salary & ROI 2026
Physics degree analysis for Salt Lake City, UT. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$69K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$118K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3.6 yrs
in Salt Lake City
Cost of Living
112
index (100 = avg)
Physics in Salt Lake City, UT Overview
While Salt Lake City has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Physics students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $17,800/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 Salt Lake City is approximately $69,440, growing to $117,600 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$9,222/yr
Private Tuition
$38,396/yr
Room & Board
$17,800/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,636/yr
Unemployment
6%
Graduation Rate
52%
Physics Salary in Salt Lake City (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Salt Lake City's cost of living index of 112 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Physics salary: $62,000 starting, $105,000 mid-career, $130,000 senior level.Salt Lake City adjustment factor: 1.12x based on the local cost of living index.
Physics ROI Calculator for Salt Lake City
Estimate your return on investment for a Physics degree using local Salt Lake City tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,222 | Private avg: $38,396
Salt Lake City avg aid: $10,636/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$108,088
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$30,240
vs HS diploma in Salt Lake City
ROI Payback Period
3.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Salt Lake City
$731,912
Lifetime earnings premium ($840,000) minus total education cost ($108,088)
Student Loan Payoff for Physics in Salt Lake City
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Salt Lake City for Physics
University of Utah
public
$9,222/yr
$36,888 total
Westminster University
private
$38,396/yr
$153,584 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Salt Lake Community College
$4,116/yr
Top Employers for Physics in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Physics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Salt Lake City Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Physics Job Titles
Physics in Nearby Utah Cities
West Valley City, UT
$61K starting · COL 98.5
6 colleges
West Jordan, UT
$62K starting · COL 99.8
5 colleges
Provo, UT
$81K starting · COL 130
7 colleges
Orem, UT
$76K starting · COL 122
4 colleges
Sandy, UT
$64K starting · COL 103.8
4 colleges
St. George, UT
$78K starting · COL 125
2 colleges
Ogden, UT
$64K starting · COL 103
5 colleges
Layton, UT
$61K starting · COL 97.8
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Salt Lake City
Prompt Engineering
$56K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$106K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$95K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$99K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$92K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$95K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$90K starting · 3 yr ROI
Physics Degree in Salt Lake 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 Salt Lake City.