Physical Sciences, General

Physical Sciences

Physical Sciences, General graduates with a associate's typically earned about $50,266, measured a few years after finishing (median across US programs, College Scorecard).

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Median earnings by degree level

Degree	Median earnings	Typical range	Schools	Clear the bar
Associate's Degree	$50,266	$42,524 to $59,363	24	92%

"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.

Job outlook

Projected employment growth +1% (2023 to 2033), about 74,700 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.

Occupation	Median pay	Growth	Openings/yr
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$65,220	-1.6%	66,200
Natural Sciences Managers	$157,740	+3.7%	8,500

Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, so this lists where the major commonly leads, not any one graduate's job.

Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.