Outcomes & Careers
A major in physics prepares you for a wide range of career. As a Physics major, you are constantly involved in problem-solving using analytical and computational methods, design and develop experiments, trouble shoots instruments, develop programming skills, pay attention to details, and develop physical insight by analyzing data. Turns out these are skills prized in various technical career pathways.
Physics majors choose a variety of careers after their education. According to recent figures, about 54% of the physics bachelors ended up going to graduate school while 41% entered workforce. Majority of physics bachelors (65%) in workforce are involved in private sectors, while others join technical positions at colleges & university, teach high school, or work for national labs.
Of those who entered in private sector, about 36% were involved in engineering related jobs and 23% in computer or information systems. Skills such as solving technical problems, working in a team, technical writing, using specialized equipment, manage projects, programming, advanced math and simulation or modeling are frequently used in private sector employment.
Society of Physics student has developed this career handbook which can help you guide though our career objectives. Below are some of the resources for you to explore the opportunities in the graduate school or workforce:
Resources for Graduate Schools:
- Considering Graduate School? by Society of Physics Students
- Grad School Shopper: This helps you find information about graduate schools such as department size, grants & research expenditures, acceptance rate, etc.
Resources for Jobs:
- Who's Hiring Physics Bachelor's? This resource helps you to learn about job opportunities in private sector for physics bachelors. You can even search employers by each state.
- Career Resources by American Institute of Physics.
If you would like to join job market with a Physics Bachelors and are wondering about the kinds of jobs you could pursue, American Institute of Physics has compiled common job titles for Physics Bachelors presented below:
Below is the chart that summarizes the starting salary range for a Physics Bachelors:
