Information about career possibilities for Physics majors is given here. Also check out our dept alumni web page, to see what our recent graduates are doing.
Also check the Careers in Physics web page of the American Institute of Physics and the Careers in Astronomy web page of the American Astronomical Society. Also check PHYSLINK Jobs for Physicists and Engineers.
A current listing of GOVERNMENT JOBS available to a student who has just earned a Bachelor of Science of Degree in Physics can be seen at JOBS IN GOVERNMENT. Browse the Entry Level Professional or the Professional Career or the Alphabetical Job Search for Physics or Physical Sciences. The beginning pay for these jobs varies quite a bit, typically between $30,000 and $50,000 per year.
Current listings of JOBS IN INDUSTRY are available at hotjobs.com or monster.com (keyword search = physics). Here are examples of the more than 1,000 jobs for someone with a B.S. in Physics as of January 2000. Nearly all offer beginning annual salaries greater than $40,000.
In addition, there is a great demand for high school science teachers with undergraduate degrees in physics. For more information, see the U.S. Dept of Labor Occupation Handbook listing on careers as teachers. Generally, to become a physics teacher one would also need to take teacher preparation courses as well as physics courses. Check out the College of Education web page at ETSU for more information about this. Also check out the Teach for America web page.
You may also choose to enter a graduate school to earn a Master of Science degree or Ph.D. degree before job hunting. Not only are there jobs in industry, which can be seen using the Internet resources listed above, but there are also opportunities to pursue faculty positions at universities, or work in government research laboratories. Generally, an M.S. degree is required for teaching at a community college and Ph.D. for working at a university. The American Institute of Physics publishes an annual book listing 2,000 Graduate Programs in Physics, Astronomy, and Related Fields. You can find a copy at the library or physics department at your local university. For job listings after you receive your higher degree, take a look at the American Institute of Physics Career Services web page. You can also check the Chronicle of Higher Education Job Search for the listing of faculty positions.
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Last updated June 13, 2008 by B. J. Smith