Physics is Not Just for Scientists & Teachers

Myth 3:

Physics is only necessary for people who want to become teachers or work in a lab.

Fact:

Physics opens doors to a wide variety of highly paid careers. Physics majors have high employment rates and are among the best paid of all college graduates while doing jobs that positively impact society. 

Most physics graduates use physics to launch them into careers in medicine, engineering, law, and education (physics majors score higher on medical school admissions tests than nearly every other discipline -- including biology and pre-med!). Only a third of physics majors go into physics or astronomy research. The rest go on to study other subjects or become engineers, lawyers, medical technicians, data scientists, teachers, or a wide variety of other careers. The unemployment rate of physics majors is far lower than that of the general population. Best of all, physics bachelors tend to make salaries in the $50,000–$70,000 range after college, higher than almost any other major! See more Physics Employment Facts and explore the APS Why Study Physics page.

You don’t even need a college degree to benefit from learning physics. Many of the highest needed jobs in the future will benefit from knowing physics.

Physics Bachelor’s Skills that are Valued by Employers

• Ability to easily grasp new knowledge and concepts
• Identifying, formulating, and solving problems
• Successfully analyzing and interpreting data
• Experienced in computer applications and databases
• Ability to use current techniques/tools for technical practices
• Ability to engage in continued learning and problem solving