 |
|
|||||||||||
 RSS News Feeds |
Initial Employment Report: Physics and Astronomy Degree Recipients of 2000 & 2001By Patrick J. Mulvey and Casey Langer AIP Pub No. R-282.23 January 2004 Highlights Highlights
Initial employment outcomes for new physics and astronomy degree recipients are influenced by many socioeconomic factors, including the overall economic situation at the time of graduation, specific conditions in key employment sectors, and by personal factors such as the student’s career goals and financial situation. The data presented here were collected from or about physics and astronomy degree recipients in the classes of 2000 and 2001, at a time when the nation’s economy was reaching its peak and then entering a downturn. The results of the American Institute of Physics’ Initial Employment Survey for the classes of 2000 and 2001 show rising starting salaries and low unemployment rates. For the most part, degree recipients were pleased with the job market and available career prospects. As has been true in the past, many bachelor’s and master’s degree recipients opted to continue with further study, a large proportion continuing in physics while others chose to pursue a wide variety of other fields. Bachelors and masters seeking employment reported that they were well equipped to enter the wide variety of technical and computer-related fields that make up the bulk of positions that new physics and astronomy degree recipients accept. At the PhD level, postdocs once again comprise the largest proportion of the new graduates and the private sector continues to hire the majority of the PhDs accepting potentially permanent employment. The Initial Employment Report is based on an annual survey of physics degree recipients and was conducted in the April following the academic year in which they received their degrees. The 762 physics and 69 astronomy departments in the US were asked to provide contact information for their recent degree recipients. This report is possible because of the ability of many departments to supply this important contact information. New Physics PhDsThere were 1214 physics PhDs conferred in the class of 2000 and 1157 degrees conferred in the class of 2001. The latter figure represents the seventh year of declines from a recent high of 1481 for the class of 1994. Departments reported that a little over half (54%) of the degrees were conferred on US citizens, and 13% of the degree recipients were women. The combined PhD classes of 2000 and 2001 had a median age of 30 and spent a median of six full-time equivalent years of graduate study to complete their degree. The findings presented here are a result of a combination of response data from the classes of 2000 and 2001. We received initial employment information regarding 67% of these students. The data were obtained either through the direct response of the degree recipient (32%), or through contact with the student’s thesis advisor (35%). The data gathered from advisors were limited to the degree recipients’ employment outcomes, subfield of study, gender, and citizenship. The proportion of US citizens for whom we have post-degree information (69%) is higher than for the foreign citizens (58%). Respondent and advisor data indicate that approximately 5% of the US degree recipients and 18% of the non-US degree recipients accepted initial employment outside the US. The discussion that follows excludes these graduates, and examines initial employment outcomes only for the physics PhD recipients who, regardless of their citizenship, remained in the United States. The unemployment rate for the combined classes of 2000 and 2001 remained low at 2%, compared to rates of 5 and 6% experienced by new physics PhDs in the early to mid 1990s (see Figure 1).
Recently there has been an increase in the proportion of new PhDs accepting postdocs following a decline that had brought this figure close to a two decade low (see Figure 2). A rise in the proportion of PhDs taking postdocs has frequently coincided with weaker economic conditions and less favorable employment prospects for PhD scientists. However, changes in economic conditions may not be the only factor influencing a greater proportion of PhDs to accept postdocs. The proportion of postdoc takers who indicated that they had accepted a temporary position because they found no suitable permanent employment has actually declined in recent years, with a little more than a third of the postdocs citing this as a reason. It is important to note, however, that the answer to this question is very subjective, because a postdoc has traditionally been a necessary step toward a university faculty position, and 60% of the postdocs who responded that no permanent post was available aspired to a career in academia.
One indicator of the strength or weakness of the job market is the length of time needed to secure employment. About one-third of the PhD classes of 2000 and 2001 reported needing more than 3 months to secure employment. In 1992, a time of poor employment prospects, about half of the new physics PhDs indicated needing more than 3 months to secure employment. The type of employment accepted by new PhDs is related, to some extent, to the subfield in which they did their dissertation research. Individuals with dissertation topics in fields that are generally more applied, including optics and materials science, were more likely to take potentially permanent positions upon receiving their degree. By contrast, PhDs whose dissertations were in fields such as space physics, astrophysics and nuclear physics were more likely to accept postdoctoral positions (see Figure 3).
Most postdocs are employed in the university and government sectors with an average initial length of two years. PhDs going directly into potentially permanent positions are concentrated in the private sector (see Table 1). In the late 1980’s, a time when fewer new PhDs were accepting potentially permanent positions, only about 40-50% of the potentially permanent positions were in the private sector. This compares with about 70% starting in the mid 1990’s right up through the classes of 2000 and 2001. This shift probably reflects both an increase in the number of private sector employers seeking physics PhDs and an increase in the number of physics PhDs accepting private sector employment. Most of the temporary non-postdoc jobs accepted by physics PhDs are at colleges and universities. These positions include lecturer, visiting professor and research scientist. The field of employment for new physics PhDs is somewhat influenced by the type of initial employment secured. Overwhelmingly, postdocs tend to be employed not only within the field of physics, but in the graduate’s dissertation subfield as well (see Figure 4). In contrast, the majority of potentially permanent positions secured by physics PhDs are not directly in physics, but are in related fields. Most of these positions are in engineering and computer-related fields.
Starting salaries for the classes of 2000 and 2001 were very strong. The typical starting salary for a new physics PhD differs greatly by type of position and employment sector (see Figure 5). For individuals accepting potentially permanent employment, the Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFR&DCs) and the private sector continue to offer salaries substantially higher than those offered by academic institutions. Postdoc salaries also vary greatly by employment sector with government positions paying significantly better than university positions. Overall, new physics PhDs view their current positions in a positive light. A slightly higher percent of individuals holding postdocs felt their current position was either challenging or very challenging than those accepting potentially permanent positions (see Figure 6). Nonetheless, over 77% of the permanently employed group report that their positions were professionally challenging. Even among the subgroup of potentially permanent employed PhDs who were working in a related field, the majority were satisfied with their current position, found it professionally challenging and felt that physics was an appropriate background for the position. On the other hand, 14% percent of physics PhDs felt they were underemployed. A slightly larger proportion of postdocs than the potentially permanent employed fell into this group.
The initial employment of a new PhD reflects a combination of dissertation subfield, job availability and an individual’s long-range employment goals. The majority (69%) of the new PhDs holding postdocs indicated a 10-year career goal of working in the academic sector, while only 14% of those with permanent jobs in the private sector indicated a similar career goal. Bachelor’s Degree RecipientsAs described in the AIP Enrollments and Degrees Report, undergraduate physics degree production significantly increased in the classes of 2000 and 2001, reversing a trend of a decade of decline. The 4091 bachelor’s degrees conferred at 761 departments in the class of 2001 represented a 12% increase over the class of 1999. The combined 2000 & 2001 bachelor’s degree classes included 22% who were women and 6% who were foreign citizens. Please refer to the full AIP Enrollments and Degrees Report about these degree classes. Using a number of survey methods, we obtained 2453 usable survey responses from the physics bachelor’s recipients in the classes of 2000 and 2001. These degree recipients are highly mobile and consequently difficult to track. In many cases, departments do not keep accurate records of where their bachelor’s students go after receiving their degrees. At the time of their graduation many students themselves do not know what their address will be in half a year. In addition to specific employment-related questions, the degree recipients were asked several general questions about their undergraduate education. The vast majority reported that they were pleased with their department, and only 8% of the respondents were dissatisfied. A high proportion (88%) would, given the option to do it all over again, still major in physics. On the other hand, about half (52%) wished that their physics program had been more applied. This proportion was highest among respondents pursuing graduate study in other fields as well as those entering directly into the labor market. As has been the case for many years, about half of the new physics bachelors choose to go directly to graduate school (see Figure 7). The majority of these continuing students choose to continue in physics or astronomy, with the remainder pursuing a wide variety of fields, topped by engineering (see Table 2).
Nearly two thirds of the physics bachelors continuing with graduate study indicate that they plan to pursue a PhD. A little under one third enroll in master’s programs, and the rest are distributed among other types of degrees and certificates. Bachelor’s recipients who received their degrees from departments that also had a graduate program in physics were more likely to continue with graduate studies in physics or astronomy than those attending a department that only went up to the bachelors level in physics (see Figure 8). Some of this persistence may stem from the kind of students attracted to the more comprehensive programs and some may result from the students’ opportunities to observe and interact with faculty and graduate students actively engaging in research.
The highest degree offered by the department physics bachelors attend also correlates with the type of degree that graduates pursue when they leave. About half of bachelors continuing with graduate study in physics who received their degrees from departments where a masters is the highest physics degree offered remain in the same department to pursue a master’s degree. Over three-quarters of the respondents who received their degrees from BS&PhD granting departments and are continuing with physics graduate study do so in PhD programs. Almost a third of the students who continue in physics from PhD institutions remain at the same department. Overall, the vast majority of continuing students (88%) felt adequately prepared for their graduate programs. Eighty-four percent of students entering doctoral programs in physics felt adequately prepared for further study, and ninety-five percent of students who chose to pursue engineering or other non-physics fields felt prepared. (See the AIP Graduate Student Report for a more thorough discussion of graduate study in physics and astronomy at US institutions). An important aspect of choosing a field and a program of study is the type and amount of financial support available. Students continuing with graduate studies in physics and astronomy tend to be well supported (see Table 3). Only 3% of this group reported a need to rely primarily on their own funding for their graduate study. Physics and astronomy students enrolled in master’s programs are somewhat less likely to receive support, with about 12% needing to rely primarily on support from family, savings and loans.
Graduate StudyIn contrast, students pursuing fields other than physics receive considerably less support. About a fifth of the students pursuing engineering degrees and almost half of those pursuing other fields need to pay their own way. Some of this funding difference can be attributed to the degree programs in which the students enroll. Students enrolled in physics, astronomy and math programs are more likely to enroll in PhD programs, whereas those choosing education, engineering and humanities graduate study tend to have a larger proportion enrolling in MS programs. Traditionally, students in MS programs are less likely to be supported than students in PhD programs. Physics Bachelors EmploymentAbout half of the new physics bachelors in the classes of 2000 and 2001 entered directly into the workforce. But 86% of this group indicated plans to return to school at some point. Degree recipients employed in academia, along with those accepting employment in physics and other science fields outside academia, were most likely to indicate a desire to return to school in the future. Not surprisingly, respondents whose ten-year career goals included research or education overwhelmingly planned to continue their studies. A quarter of the students who indicated that they plan to return to school had not yet decided on the field of study, but about 40% of those who had made up their minds planned to study physics or astronomy. About three quarters of the employed physics bachelor’s recipients felt prepared for their current position. A significant proportion (64%) indicated that prior work experience helped them to obtain their current position. Non-departmental employment, co-ops and internships were the most frequently cited types of work experience. Research and Teaching Assistantships, as well as REU’s (NSF’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program), were also frequently identified. The private sector continues to be the dominant employer of new physics bachelors entering directly into the workforce (see Figure 9). Physics bachelors in the private sector commonly spend the majority of their workdays on computer and engineering related activities, such as programming, systems software, modeling and design work (see Figure 10). Government employees’ work activities tend to center around computer or information systems, research and engineering. Bachelors employed in postsecondary institutions fill education-related positions, conduct and assist with research and work with software. A little over half of the bachelors employed at high schools and elementary schools are teaching physics, and the rest are teaching math and combinations of other subjects.
Physics bachelors employed at four-year colleges and in much of the private sector were more likely to describe their jobs as technical in nature, whereas respondents employed in secondary schools, as well as in business and finance, were least likely to report technical jobs. Physics bachelors employed in more technical positions reported slightly higher salaries. Figure 11 presents the typical starting salaries for physics bachelors in the classes of 2000 and 2001. The median annual salaries for physics bachelors range from $44,000 in the private sector to $30,000 for those employed as high school teachers. Physics bachelors employed in the private sector who were involved with computers, engineering and management reported higher salaries than bachelors performing research related tasks.
Bachelors employed in manufacturing and professional services earned the lowest salaries in the private sector. As the findings above suggest, the job market for new physics bachelors is very diverse, with degree recipients finding employment in all sectors of the economy using their physics education in a vast array of work activities. Master’s Degree RecipientsIn the 1999-2000 academic year, 254 physics departments conferred 684 master’s degrees to students who were leaving their programs. This number was similar to the 2000-2001 academic year, when 701 exiting master’s degrees were awarded. These numbers represent a leveling off of master’s degree production following five years of steady declines. A number of master’s degrees were also granted to students enroute to a PhD. We do not include these enroute degrees in the statistics cited in this report. According to the Enrollments and Degrees survey, the combined master’s degree classes included 20% women and 42% foreign citizens. Sixty-nine percent of the exiting masters received their degree from departments that also offer a doctoral level physics degree. We have found that it is very difficult to obtain current address information for master’s recipients, in part because of their mobility. To increase the number of masters about whom we have post-degree information, we have supplemented the data we collected directly from degree recipients with follow-up information from the students’ advisors. Overall, we were able to collect information from or about a little over half of the master’s classes of 2000 & 2001. Just over a third of this information came directly from the students. In addition to questions pertaining to post-degree outcomes, physics masters were asked several general questions about their degree and the department they attended. The vast majority (90%) of physics master’s recipients were pleased with the department that granted their degree. When asked if they wished their master’s curriculum had been more applied, 40% percent wished that it had been. The post-degree outcomes for the combined 2000 and 2001 physics master’s classes are shown in Figure 12. About a quarter of responding physics masters continued with physics graduate study at another institution, and about an eighth continued with graduate study in other subjects. Engineering and computer science were the most commonly cited fields by respondents pursuing graduate studies in fields other than physics. As in the past, master’s recipients who were foreign citizens were more likely to pursue graduate studies than their American counterparts.
Almost 60% of the respondents indicated that they had entered directly into the workforce. Degree recipients from departments where the masters was the highest degree offered were more likely to enter the workforce than their counterparts leaving doctorate-granting departments. The majority of physics master’s recipients entering the workforce find jobs in the private sector (Figure 13). The median starting salaries in the combined classes of 2000 & 2001 was $55,000 for masters accepting positions in the private sector, and $36,000 for masters employed in academia. (Figure 14)
About 40% of the employed masters work in the field of physics, and about a quarter are employed in the field of engineering. One fifth are employed in computer science, and the rest are scattered among other fields. Academia (including secondary schools) has the largest concentration of physics masters working primarily in physics. The distribution of employment fields for individuals working in the private sector is illustrated in Figure 15. Almost three-quarters of physics masters employed in all fields and sectors reported that their employment is technical in nature.
Prior work experience played an important role in assisting respondents in their job search. Almost 80% percent of employed respondents reported that prior work experience helped them to obtain their current positions. Examples of relevant work experience include Research Assistantships, Teaching Assistantships, co-ops, internships and employment outside of physics departments. Overall 34% of physics masters were not pleased with the job market and career prospects available to them. Unemployed masters and those students continuing their study in other fields were the least pleased. Students continuing with physics graduate study indicated greater levels of satisfaction, and the physics masters entering into the workforce indicated the greatest satisfaction with the available job market. AstronomyIn the 2000&2001 academic years, the AIP survey of Enrollments and Degrees gathered astronomy degree recipient information from 70 departments. About half of the astronomy departments are combined with physics departments at the same university, and half are administered as separate programs. The PhD classes of 2000 and 2001 consisted of 139 and 101 new doctorates, respectively. We obtained information about 68% of these degree recipients through either a direct response from the student or information obtained from their advisors. The data presented here do not include students who got their degrees in astrophysics from a physics department. They were included in the earlier discussions of physics degree recipients. It also does not include the 12% of astronomy PhD’s who accepted employment outside the Unites States. Postdoctoral fellowships remained the dominant post-degree outcome for new astronomy PhDs, encompassing 69% of the combined classes of 2000 and 2001 (see Figure 16). As in the past, the majority of these postdocs are in the academic sector. The median salary for postdocs in the academic sector is $40,000.
About two-thirds of astronomy PhD’s listed research as their primary work activity, and virtually all (87%) are employed in the field of astronomy. Over eighty percent of responding astronomy PhD recipients are employed within their dissertation subfield. Turning to the bachelor’s level, the number of students receiving astronomy bachelor’s degrees in the class of 2001 shot up 36% over the class of 2000. Much of this increase can be attributed to a sharp rise in the number of women receiving astronomy degrees. In the combined classes of 2000 and 2001, there were 476 astronomy bachelors, including 38% women and 5% foreign citizens. The proportion of women among astronomy bachelors is significantly higher than for physics, which had 22% women during this same time period. We heard from 26% of the astronomy bachelors form these combined classes. About half (52%) of the astronomy bachelors chose to continue their studies at the graduate level, the largest proportion in astronomy (see Figure 17). The astronomy bachelors who pursue graduate studies outside of astronomy are split between physics and other fields of study. As in the past, all of these graduate students, regardless of discipline, indicated they were enrolled on a full-time basis and the vast majority of them receive support in the form of a fellowship or assistantship. All of the continuing students felt adequately prepared for graduate studies. The astronomy bachelors who accepted employment were scattered among the employment sectors. The largest employer was the private sector, although it represented only a third of the astronomy bachelors entering the workforce. This contrasts noticeably with the large proportion (57%) of physics bachelors employed in the private sector and can likely be attributed to the less applied nature of astronomy.
The fields and work activities of new astronomy bachelors entering the workforce were very diverse. Frequently cited work activities included education, computers and information systems, research and engineering. Two thirds of the employed degree recipients indicated that some relevant work experience had assisted them in securing their current positions. When asked about their long-term career goals, over half of the astronomy bachelors indicated that they hope to work in a college or university setting involving research and education related activities. The population of astronomy master’s recipients is very small, numbering only 38 in the combined classes of 2000 & 2001. Even though we have information on nearly three-quarters of these students, the small number precludes detailed analysis of outcomes. The vast majority of the respondents entered directly into the workforce. Megan Henly conducted the analysis for portions of this report. The Statistical Research Center collects data on the composition and dynamics of the scientific labor force and the education system. To view our catalog of current publications, please click here. |
||||||||||
