ROI Major

Physics at Casper College

WY · Associate's Degree · CIP 40.08

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Physics degree from Casper College earn a median salary of $78,709 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $84,542. The degree typically pays for itself in 6.1 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$70,380

Typical Career

$78,709

Top Performers

$111,405

Estimated break-even: 6.1 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$525

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,559. Most students can comfortably afford about a $525 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Wyoming buys what costs $0.93 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Public Administration.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 31.6%
Educational Services 14.7%
Public Administration 9.9%

Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$84,542

Nominal: $78,709 in Wyoming (COL 93.1% of national avg) · 7.4% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

6.1 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $26,921 $43,047 $98,232
5 Years After Graduation $70,380 $78,709 $111,405
10 Years After Graduation $45,413 $85,664 $102,996

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $78,709 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WY, which has a cost-of-living index of 93.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $78,709 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9310) = $84,542 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates with a Physics degree from Casper College experience a significant increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $43,047, which rises to $78,709 five years post-graduation and reaches $85,664 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $84,542.43, indicating that graduates can expect a competitive salary relative to the national average, especially considering Wyoming's lower cost of living index at 0.931 compared to the national average of 1.0.

The top industries for Physics graduates from Casper College are predominantly in Health Care & Social Assistance, with 31.6%, 23.3%, and 18.9% of graduates entering this sector. This concentration suggests a strong alignment between the degree and employment opportunities in these fields. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 6.1 years, indicating a favorable return on investment for pursuing a Physics degree. Overall, the data suggests that a degree in Physics from Casper College can lead to substantial long-term financial benefits and career opportunities.

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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.