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Physics
The tables below present the occupations that are most commonly associated
with a degree in Physics. We have separated the tables
depending on whether we examine graduates who stop their education with the
bachelors degree in Physics, and those who get either a masters
in Physics, a Ph.D. in Physics.
While the list above describes the occupations of students with advanced degrees in
Physics some students with a bachelors degree in Physics will get advanced
degrees in other fields. The tables listed below descibe the types of advanced degrees
that were chosen by students with a bachelors in Physics.
Since all of the above tables present information on the average salary,
it is possible to lose sight of the fact that some majors place students
in jobs with a narrow range of salaries near to the mean while others
place students in many different income categories. For this reason,
we have drawn two frequency distributions (histograms) of Physics Salaries.
Histogram of Physics Salaries: Bachelors Degree Only
The diagram below includes all students with a major in Physics who received no degree beyond the bachelors.
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Histogram of Physics Salaries: Bachelors and Beyond
The diagram below includes all students with a major in Physics while an undergraduate.
The data includes students who subsequently earned degrees beyond the bachelors.
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Bachelors Degree
The information in the table below is based on data from people of all sexes and ages whose most recent college degree was a bachelors degree majoring in Physics.
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Avg 1993 Number of Pct of
Salary Observations Majors Description of Occupation
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$55,517 54 12.16 Engineers: Electrical, electronic
$78,148 40 9.01 Top and mid-level managers, executives, administrators (people who manage other managers)
$58,893 34 7.66 Physicists
$54,588 26 5.86 Computer programmers (business, scientific, process control)
$58,469 26 5.86 Computer engineer - software
$62,332 24 5.41 Engineers: Aeronautical, aerospace, astronautical
$56,652 22 4.95 Other engineers
$50,061 20 4.50 Computer system analysts
$54,484 12 2.70 OTHER computer, information science Occupations
$65,527 11 2.48 Engineers: Nuclear
$51,331 10 2.25 Information systems scientists or analysts
$49,172 9 2.03 Engineers: Mechanical
$38,409 9 2.03 OTHER OCCUPATIONS (Not Listed)
$49,390 8 1.80 Insurance, securities, real estate, and business services
$44,872 8 1.80 Teachers: Secondary - computer, math or sciences
$28,958 8 1.80 OTHER administrative (e.g., record clerks, telephone operators)
$54,327 8 1.80 Engineers: Materials or metallurgical
$35,887 7 1.58 Technologists and technicians in the physical sciences
$48,623 7 1.58 OTHER marketing and sales occupations
$45,162 7 1.58 Engineers: Electrical, electronic, industrial, mechanical
$61,605 6 1.35 Engineers: Sales
$52,207 6 1.35 OTHER management related occupations
$49,334 6 1.35 Computer engineer - hardware
$52,600 5 1.13 Sales Occupations - Commodities Except Retail (e.g., industrial machinery/equipment/supplies, medical and dental equiptment/supplies)
$44,640 5 1.13 OTHER engineering technologists and technicians
$55,428 4 .90 Operations research analysts, modelling
$37,288 4 .90 Artists, Broadcasters, Editors, Entertainers, Public Relations Specialists, Writers
$36,300 4 .90 OTHER service occupations, except health
$52,533 3 .68 Engineers: Industrial
$32,588 3 .68 Personnel, training, and labor relations specialists
$46,167 3 .68 Medical scientists (excluding practitioners)
$48,708 3 .68 Engineers: Environmental
$41,683 3 .68 Drafting occupations, including computer drafting
$36,500 2 .45 Chemists, except biochemists
$40,000 2 .45 Lawyers, Judges
$59,150 2 .45 OTHER physical scientists
$35,600 2 .45 Health Technologists and Technicians (e.g., dental hygienists, health record technologists/technicians, licensed practical nurses, medical or laboratory technicians, radiologic technologists/technicians)
$65,810 2 .45 Computer scientists, except system analysts
$66,300 2 .45 Engineers: Civil, including architectural and sanitary
$68,000 2 .45 Engineers: Marine engineer or naval architect
$23,195 2 .45 Food Preparation and Service (e.g., cooks, waitresses, bartenders)
$92,500 2 .45 Transportation/material moving occupations
$44,460 2 .45 Construction trades, miners and well drillers
$74,400 1 .23 Precision/production occupations (e.g., workers, woodworkers, butchers, bakers, printing occupations, tailors, shoemakers, photographic process)
$124,000 1 .23 Geologists, including earth scientists
$150,000 1 .23 Accountants, auditors, and other financial specialists
$12,000 1 .23 Accounting clerks, bookkeepers
$54,000 1 .23 OTHER postsecondary
$54,000 1 .23 Atmospheric and space scientists
$52,000 1 .23 Engineers: Bioengineering and biomedical
$50,000 1 .23 Operators and related occupations (e.g., machine set-up, machine operators and tenders, fabricators, assemblers)
$50,000 1 .23 Historians, except science and technology
$36,000 1 .23 Biochemists and biophysicists
$33,000 1 .23 Technologists and technicians in the mathematical sciences
$30,000 1 .23 Sales Occupations - Retail (e.g., furnishings, clothing, motor vehicles, cosmetics)
$30,000 1 .23 Counselors, Educational and Vocational (Also see 236)
$28,000 1 .23 Unknown
$26,500 1 .23 Statisticians
$20,000 1 .23 Teachers: Secondary - social sciences
$18,000 1 .23 Farmers, Foresters and Fishermen
$12,000 1 .23 Professors: Physics
$12,000 1 .23 OTHER biological/life scientists
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Masters
The information in the table below is based on data from people of all
sexes and ages whose most recent college degree was a masters degree
in Physics.
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Avg 1993 Number of Pct of
Salary Observations Majors Description of Occupation
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$55,212 61 25.52 Physicists
$82,339 26 10.88 Top and mid-level managers, executives, administrators (people who manage other managers)
$65,678 24 10.04 Engineers: Electrical, electronic
$63,436 13 5.44 Computer engineer - software
$63,324 12 5.02 Engineers: Aeronautical, aerospace, astronautical
$52,645 10 4.18 Other engineers
$51,229 10 4.18 Computer programmers (business, scientific, process control)
$40,611 9 3.77 Professors: Physics
$44,425 8 3.35 Computer system analysts
$63,023 7 2.93 OTHER management related occupations
$62,913 6 2.51 OTHER computer, information science Occupations
$54,730 4 1.67 Computer engineer - hardware
$50,600 4 1.67 Engineers: Mechanical
$64,098 3 1.26 Engineers: Nuclear
$64,587 3 1.26 Information systems scientists or analysts
$43,224 3 1.26 Engineers: Materials or metallurgical
$65,250 2 .84 Atmospheric and space scientists
$78,000 2 .84 Geologists, including earth scientists
$83,250 2 .84 Computer scientists, except system analysts
$9,880 2 .84 OTHER service occupations, except health
$43,776 2 .84 Chemists, except biochemists
$43,600 2 .84 Operations research analysts, modelling
$43,440 2 .84 OTHER OCCUPATIONS (Not Listed)
$26,312 1 .42 Technologists and technicians in the biological/life sciences
$100,000 1 .42 Accountants, auditors, and other financial specialists
$90,000 1 .42 Farmers, Foresters and Fishermen
$90,000 1 .42 Engineers: Petroleum
$11,794 1 .42 Accounting clerks, bookkeepers
$12,000 1 .42 OTHER marketing and sales occupations
$80,000 1 .42 OTHER health occupations
$23,000 1 .42 OTHER postsecondary
$70,000 1 .42 Professors: Medical Science
$70,000 1 .42 Actuaries
$69,600 1 .42 Technologists and technicians in the physical sciences
$50,000 1 .42 Teachers: Secondary - computer, math or sciences
$27,500 1 .42 Counselors, Educational and Vocational (Also see 236)
$29,000 1 .42 Teachers: Secondary - other subjects
$40,000 1 .42 OTHER administrative (e.g., record clerks, telephone operators)
$63,000 1 .42 Engineers: Industrial
$45,000 1 .42 OTHER engineering technologists and technicians
$60,000 1 .42 Engineers: Electrical, electronic, industrial, mechanical
$45,000 1 .42 Unknown
$45,576 1 .42 Professors: Mathematical Sciences
$50,000 1 .42 Insurance, securities, real estate, and business services
$50,000 1 .42 OTHER social scientist
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Ph.D.
The information in the table below is based on data from people of all
sexes and ages whose most recent college degree was a Ph.D. degree in
Physics.
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Avg 1993 Number of Pct of
Salary Observations Majors Description of Occupation
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$66,138 120 37.38 Physicists
$56,896 68 21.18 Professors: Physics
$85,612 20 6.23 Top and mid-level managers, executives, administrators (people who manage other managers)
$74,397 14 4.36 Engineers: Electrical, electronic
$88,067 6 1.87 Computer engineer - software
$69,847 6 1.87 Engineers: Aeronautical, aerospace, astronautical
$70,522 5 1.56 OTHER computer, information science Occupations
$83,000 5 1.56 Computer scientists, except system analysts
$101,250 4 1.25 Diagnosing Treating Practitioners (e.g., dentists, optometrists, physicians, psychiatrists, podiatrists, surgeons, veterinarians)
$54,250 4 1.25 Chemists, except biochemists
$67,000 4 1.25 Other engineers
$65,636 4 1.25 Computer system analysts
$53,667 3 .93 Medical scientists (excluding practitioners)
$43,667 3 .93 Professors: Mathematical Sciences
$67,340 3 .93 Professors: Engineering
$56,167 3 .93 Atmospheric and space scientists
$56,767 3 .93 Astronomers
$62,297 3 .93 Professors: OTHER natural sciences
$70,000 2 .62 Engineers: Mechanical
$83,920 2 .62 Technologists and technicians in the physical sciences
$82,500 2 .62 Accountants, auditors, and other financial specialists
$82,750 2 .62 Engineers: Materials or metallurgical
$61,000 2 .62 Engineers: Industrial
$65,894 2 .62 Engineers: Electrical, electronic, industrial, mechanical
$55,000 2 .62 OTHER physical scientists
$54,100 2 .62 Biochemists and biophysicists
$94,500 2 .62 OTHER management related occupations
$95,000 2 .62 Operations research analysts, modelling
$96,000 2 .62 OTHER OCCUPATIONS (Not Listed)
$105,000 2 .62 Insurance, securities, real estate, and business services
$34,000 2 .62 Mathematicians
$90,000 1 .31 Professors: OTHER health specialties
$85,000 1 .31 Sales Occupations - Commodities Except Retail (e.g., industrial machinery/equipment/supplies, medical and dental equiptment/supplies)
$85,000 1 .31 Engineers: Nuclear
$121,000 1 .31 Professors: Medical Science
$28,600 1 .31 Mechanics and repairers
$79,509 1 .31 Geologists, including earth scientists
$75,000 1 .31 OTHER health occupations
$68,000 1 .31 OTHER service occupations, except health
$62,400 1 .31 Professors: Law
$62,400 1 .31 Computer programmers (business, scientific, process control)
$56,000 1 .31 Professors: Computer Science
$50,000 1 .31 Professors: Chemistry
$50,000 1 .31 Librarians, Archivists, Curators Managers, Executives, Administrators (Also see 151-153)
$45,000 1 .31 OTHER mathematical scientists
$44,000 1 .31 Registered nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, therapists, physician assistants
$35,000 1 .31 Teachers: Secondary - computer, math or sciences
$31,200 1 .31 Engineers: Environmental
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Masters Degrees earned by students with a Bachelors
degree in Physics
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Avg 1993 Number of Pct of
Salary Observations Majors Description of Field of Study
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$58,505 165 37.84 Physics
$60,680 51 11.70 Engineering: Electrical, electronics, communications
$67,170 33 7.57 Business administration and management
$62,713 25 5.73 Computer science
$54,933 9 2.06 Engineering: Mechanical
$56,300 8 1.83 Financial management
$65,480 8 1.83 Engineering: Nuclear
$54,967 7 1.61 OTHER physical sciences
$43,067 6 1.38 Astronomy and astrophysics
$75,343 6 1.38 Operations research
$68,102 6 1.38 OTHER health/medical sciences
$67,640 6 1.38 OTHER engineering
$83,512 5 1.15 Business, general
$53,437 5 1.15 Chemistry
$40,928 5 1.15 Education: OTHER education
$51,314 4 .92 Engineering sciences, mechanics, physics
$52,938 4 .92 OTHER philosophy, religion, theology
$39,560 4 .92 Education: Science teacher education
$56,375 4 .92 Mathematics: Applied
$58,500 4 .92 Mathematics, general
$59,350 4 .92 Engineering: Materials, including ceramics and textiles
$66,050 4 .92 Engineering: Computer/systems
$97,025 4 .92 OTHER business management/administrative services
$61,875 4 .92 Engineering: Electrical and electronic technologies
$56,633 3 .69 OTHER FIELDS (Not Listed)
$50,917 3 .69 Engineering: Aerospace, aeronautical, astronautical
$54,500 2 .46 Education: Administration
$68,000 2 .46 Engineering: Industrial
$48,500 2 .46 Medicine (e.g., dentistry, optometry, osteopathic, podiatry, veterinary)
$73,000 2 .46 Statistics
$73,500 2 .46 Computer/information sciences, general
$80,000 2 .46 Economics
$63,500 2 .46 Business/managerial economics
$33,250 2 .46 Social Work
$66,000 2 .46 Mechanical engineering-related technologies
$104,000 1 .23 Actuarial science
$66,000 1 .23 Health services administration
$150,000 1 .23 Business marketing/marketing management
$120,000 1 .23 Genetics, animal and plant
$67,680 1 .23 Engineering: Naval architecture and marine
$85,000 1 .23 OTHER mathematics
$83,000 1 .23 Engineering: Geophysical
$82,000 1 .23 Public health (including environmental health and epidemiology)
$68,000 1 .23 Architecture/Environmental Design
$13,000 1 .23 Psychology: Counseling
$39,000 1 .23 Engineering: Metallurgical
$18,200 1 .23 Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies
$28,000 1 .23 Plant sciences
$30,000 1 .23 OTHER psychology
$30,000 1 .23 Political science and government
$32,920 1 .23 Engineering: Bioengineering and biomedical
$33,000 1 .23 Philosophy of science
$34,000 1 .23 Atmospheric sciences and meteorology
$34,500 1 .23 Physical therapy and other rehabilitation/therapeutic services
$36,000 1 .23 Computer programming
$60,099 1 .23 Education: Counselor education/guidance services
$40,000 1 .23 Computer systems analysis
$40,000 1 .23 Public administration
$46,852 1 .23 Geological sciences, other
$48,650 1 .23 Education: Secondary teacher education
$49,600 1 .23 Environmental science studies
$52,000 1 .23 Engineering: Petroleum
$54,200 1 .23 Accounting
$56,000 1 .23 Geology
$60,000 1 .23 Engineering: Civil
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PhD's earned by students with a Bachelors
degree in Physics
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Avg 1993 Number of Pct of
Salary Observations Majors Description of Field of Study
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$66,617 244 61.77 Physics
$64,903 27 6.84 Engineering: Electrical, electronics, communications
$67,833 15 3.80 Astronomy and astrophysics
$72,682 11 2.78 Biochemistry and biophysics
$72,682 11 2.78 Biochemistry
$85,289 8 2.03 Engineering: Nuclear
$83,933 6 1.52 OTHER physical sciences
$45,800 5 1.27 Mathematics, general
$63,013 5 1.27 Engineering: Materials, including ceramics and textiles
$80,700 4 1.01 Computer science
$83,750 4 1.01 Chemistry
$79,700 4 1.01 Cell and molecular biology
$58,126 4 1.01 Atmospheric sciences and meteorology
$83,250 4 1.01 Economics
$69,133 3 .76 Geological sciences, other
$114,267 3 .76 Engineering: Electrical and electronic technologies
$49,500 3 .76 Engineering sciences, mechanics, physics
$74,074 2 .51 Engineering: Mechanical
$63,500 2 .51 Engineering: Bioengineering and biomedical
$67,000 2 .51 Sociology
$51,700 2 .51 Business administration and management
$90,090 2 .51 Operations research
$83,750 2 .51 Engineering: Metallurgical
$48,700 2 .51 OTHER agricultural sciences
$71,878 2 .51 Engineering: Civil
$87,500 2 .51 Philosophy of science
$90,000 1 .25 Earth sciences
$150,000 1 .25 OTHER health/medical sciences
$82,000 1 .25 Pharmacology, human and animal
$150,000 1 .25 OTHER business management/administrative services
$75,000 1 .25 Microbiology
$85,000 1 .25 Psychology: Experimental
$85,200 1 .25 Medicine (e.g., dentistry, optometry, osteopathic, podiatry, veterinary)
$12,000 1 .25 OTHER FIELDS (Not Listed)
$44,500 1 .25 Education: Administration
$18,000 1 .25 OTHER philosophy, religion, theology
$26,000 1 .25 OTHER foreign languages and literature
$26,400 1 .25 Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies
$35,000 1 .25 History, other
$39,700 1 .25 Oceanography
$40,000 1 .25 OTHER computer and information sciences
$42,500 1 .25 Business, general
$43,000 1 .25 Law/Prelaw/Legal Studies
$70,000 1 .25 Physiology, human and animal
$44,720 1 .25 Psychology: Clinical
$50,000 1 .25 Business/managerial economics
$50,000 1 .25 Education: OTHER education
$50,400 1 .25 Public health (including environmental health and epidemiology)
$52,328 1 .25 Statistics
$57,000 1 .25 Mathematics: Applied
$60,000 1 .25 Engineering: Chemical
$65,500 1 .25 OTHER engineering
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Other Professiona Degrees earned by students with a Bachelors
degree in Physics
Other advanced degrees include: JD, LLB, ThD, MD, and the DDS.
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Avg 1993 Number of Pct of
Salary Observations Majors Description of Field of Study
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$95,243 31 64.58 Medicine (e.g., dentistry, optometry, osteopathic, podiatry, veterinary)
$67,305 14 29.17 Law/Prelaw/Legal Studies
$30,000 1 2.08 Physics
$46,000 1 2.08 OTHER engineering
$86,400 1 2.08 OTHER health/medical sciences
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Prepared by Prof. Ken Chapman: 73122.1717@compuserve.com