Physicists
Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories.
- Median pay
- $172,250
- Doing it now
- 23,200
- By 2035
- Up 7.2%
- Usually needs
- Doctoral or professional degree
a year
across the country
1,300 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Perform complex calculations as part of the analysis and evaluation of data, using computers.
- Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms.
- Analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena.
- Report experimental results by writing papers for scientific journals or by presenting information at scientific conferences.
- Design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood.
- Teach physics to students.
- Write research proposals to receive funding.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- PhysicsSee 792 colleges that teach it
- Public HealthSee 543 colleges that teach it
- Engineering PhysicsSee 140 colleges that teach it
- Astronomy and AstrophysicsSee 113 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Analytical and curious
Hands-on and practical
Organised and precise
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $172,250 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.