Is there any advice for someone who is planning to major in physics?

Question

I seem to be interested in physics, but I am not sure about employment and demand for physicists. I am still a high schooler and am not sure of what career to pursue. What kinds of employers look for physicists? Do they also get good pay?Bachelor, Masters, or P.h.d.?

Answer 1

Almost all of the jobs are in teaching Physics, and those require a PhD for the college level positions. You would spend years as a grad student, then a Post-Doc slave, then maybe a beginning professorship. Or, you could take Physics, Chemistry, and Biology courses and major in Education, if you want to teach sciences at the High School level. Lots more jobs available for that.

If you just love the practical application of math and want to work with it daily in a well-paid job with plenty of available positions, look into the various engineering disciplines. You can go from a BS degree right into many jobs, or spend another couple of years to get a Masters and start at a higher salary.

Answer 2

I am an ocotogenarian who had a fun career and advise you to learn about everything. A Physics degree is a good place to start. You will work on many projects that others find difficult to do. That way you will build a reputation and won't need a lengthy, resume to look for a job. They will come after you. Pick the best University that will have you, i.e.M.I.T, Cal at Berkeley, or Cal Tech in Pasadena. I do not recommend Stanford as an undergraduate school. Go for your PhD, but stay away from particle physics. A more pleasant job is with practical applications.. Be confident and know your subject well. I was from a working class background and now have a net worth of over $2 million. If you are smart and honest, you can do the same.

Answer 3

I love physics, I always have. I almost got my research published that I did at a local university. I compramised to go into engineering.

I just finnished my first year at engineering university that is the best in the country if you want to work for a manufacturing company. I work for GM as an engineer. I get paid crazy amounts of money, they give me my own apartment, yatta yatta. I hate it, DONT GO INTO ENGINEERING. They dont do any real work, stay in the sciences!

Okay now back to your point. Physics, if you want to teach, get an undergrand, if you want to be a professor or do anything else besides teach high school, get a PhD. A professor I worked for said that physicists are always employed. I think I believe him. I am interested in working in a government lab and they get paid a little bit more then engineers. They get around 85,000/year. This is in public records mind you because they work for our tax dollars (so if you dont believe me you can look it up yourself!).

So there are like a thousand different PhD.'s you can get.

Once you get your PhD you either become a professor, or you do research.

doing research you either are an experimental physicist or a theoretical physicist. Depends if you want hands on experience or a more mathematical approach. Mind you physicist with their PhD's always have decent jobs and you can do engineering work if you desire with no further education! I would highly recomend this field for yourself.

This information is comming from someone who just got out of highschool only a year ago. Someone who knows that engineering (especially with only your undergrad) is a TERRIBLE choice! (I have been an engineer for 6 months so far at a factory), also someone who is going to pursue their PhD in physics and has spent a very large part of their time asking the very same questions you are!

Answer 4

Physics is an awesome subject. As a physics major you have the unique ability to look at everyone else's major and scoff at their inferior intellect, especially chem majors, you will learn to hate them, with a passion. That said you're going to need to get at least a masters, probably a Ph.D to do anything with it. Once you have your masters or PhD, jobs range from medical: working with radiation treatments, MRI's, ect.; Military: designing the next big boom; Research: here you get to play with the biggest most expensive toys in the world, particle accelerators (who doesn't want to smash things together really hard); or as was already pointed out, teaching. Starting salaries for a PhD in medical or government sectors is in the vicinity of 100,000 dollars, not sure about other fields but I know they're in the mid 80's to upper 90's for everything accept a professorship, but as a professor your kids go to school for free, not too shabby.

Answer 5

you can also use a physics degree as a launching pad for a career in high tech from the technical or business side. depending on the employer an mba might be needed.