What Are Masters Doing?

This survey examines the employment experiences of Sigma Pi Sigma (the undergraduate physics honor society) members who have at least one college degree in physics and whose highest degree is a master's in any field.

The sample of 5,011 members was drawn from Sigma Pi Sigma's database and restricted to members who had been inducted into the society as undergraduates and had earned their bachelor's degree since 1945. 1578 Sigma Pi Sigma members replied to the survey.

HIGHLIGHTS

Master's degree holders with physics backgrounds work in all sectors of the economy. However, industry, consisting of large- and medium-sized companies, and the autonomous private sector, which includes small business, professional practices or firms, and self-employment, are the two largest employers of master's degree recipients. Significant numbers also work in government and education (Table 1).
Physics bachelors pursue a variety of educational paths. Among employed master's degree holders with physics backgrounds, nearly three fifths received their highest degrees in a field other than physics. The most popular specialties, after physics, were engineering, administration, computer science, mathematics, and education.
Physics master's degree holders enjoy a wide range of career options, with engineer and manager the most common (Table 2).
Substantial majorities of master's degree holders agree that "the undergraduate education I received in physics provided a solid background for my career." This finding was true regardless of employment sector (Table 3) or field of highest degree (Table 4).
Substantial majorities of master's degree holders in each employment sector report using problem solving and interpersonal skills frequently in their current positions.

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