What Are Masters Doing?

TABLES Table 1

Distribution by employment sector for master's degree recipients with a physics background (1), 1994
	%
Industry	40
Autonomous private sector (2)	22
Government (3)	18
Education	16
Other (4)	4
Total number of respondents	328

Respondents currently employed whose highest degree is a master's and who have earned either a bachelor's or master's degree in physics
Autonomous private sector refers to the self-employed, those in small business, and those in a professional practice or firm.
Government includes the military, national labs, and federal, state, and local agencies.
Other includes university medical schools, other medical/hospital services and other non-profit organizations.

Source: AIP Statistics Division

Table 2

Predominant occupations* by master's degree field, 1994.
Administration	Engineering	Comp/Math	Physics	Education
Manager	Engineer	Comp/math	Manager	Teacher
Engineer	Manager	Engineer	Engineer	Manager
		Manager	Scientist
		Teacher	Comp/math

* The occupations listed account for 75% or more of the positions mentioned by master's degree holders in each degree field.

Source: AIP Statistics Division, Survey of Sigma Pi Sigma members who have at least one college physics degree and whose highest degree is a master's in any field

Table 3

Percent of master's degree holders agreeing with a statement about career by employment sector, 1994.
	Physics education provided a solid background for my career*
Industry	78
Autonomous private sector	77
Government	70
Education	80

* The data reflect the percentage of respondents who chose 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale where 1=strongly disagree and 5=strongly agree.

Source: AIP Statistics Division, Survey of Sigma Pi Sigma members who have at least one college physics degree and whose highest degree is a master's in any field

Table 4

Percent of managers agreeing with statements about career* by selected master's degree field, 1994.
	Administration %	Physics %	Engineering %
Physics education provided a solid background for my career	68	79	88
If I had a chance to do it over again, I would get a degree in the same field	45	69	66

* The data reflect the percentage of respondents who chose 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale where 1=strongly disagree and 5=strongly agree.

Source: AIP Statistics Division, Survey of Sigma Pi Sigma members who have at least one college physics degree and whose highest degree is a master's in any field