Students major in physics for a wide range of reasons. Many study physics because they enjoy the subject matter and find it exciting and intellectually stimulating. Others study it because of the wide range of career opportunities that are possible. A physics education provides a unique way of looking at problems that many employers value. It provides a marketable set of skills and foundation of knowledge on which it is easy to build upon as one’s career evolves over time.
Physics bachelors who get hired into engineering or computer science positions get paid similar starting salaries as those who earned bachelor’s degrees in those fields. A physics degree tells a prospective employer that you have the background, knowledge, and skills to succeed in a broad range of scientific or technical fields.
These job titles were obtained from surveys conducted by the Statistical Research Center of the American Institute of Physics of physics bachelor’s recipients of the classes of 2017 and 2018. They are not exhaustive or exclusive.