Let's cut to the chase, there is more you can do more with your physics degree than become a professor, or participate in research. This may seem like a bold statement depending on what you’ve heard, but it’s true.
There are many careers that you can pursue that directly involve the application of your knowledge base and skill set in physics.
Areas such as the geo-sciences, engineering, architecture, computer programming, astronomy and others all have a foundation in the fundamental lessons of physics.
Because of this, these areas house many careers for physics majors, such as "quantitative analyst" and "energy policy analyst".
What Else You Can Do With a Physics Degree
A physics degree is also excellent preparation for a variety of careers that seemingly have nothing to do with physics, such as careers in finance and marketing. This is because employers place high value on the analytical, technical and problem-solving skills that physics majors acquire.
An undergraduate degree in this field also serves as great preparation for professional and graduates schools, such as Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy. As a physics graduate, you can also try your hand at graduate study in Marketing, Economics, Finance, Business, Law, IT and many other areas.
So, if you want to know more about where this degree can take you, read on below. This guide contains detailed occupational information on career paths relevant to this degree. Included are job descriptions, expected salaries, educational requirements and other information related to these careers.
What a Physics Program Can Teach You
Physics is a fundamental science concerned with the nature and properties of energy and matter. Physics also deals with profound questions about the universe and important practical, environmental and technological issues.
To succeed as a physics student, you must become familiar with the fundamentals of physics, to varying degrees. These include quantum and classical mechanics, electromagnetism, statistical physics and thermodynamics, wave phenomena and the properties of matter.
You will also study the application of the fundamental principles of physics to specific areas of the field, which may include atomic physics, nuclear and particle physics, condensed matter physics, materials, plasmas and fluids.
As a result of your studies, you should gain at least basic knowledge, competencies and skills in mathematical reasoning, theoretical deduction, experimentation and observations, computing, technology, materials and information theory.
As a result of these abilities, you can pursue a wide range of careers, including careers in finance, economics, statistics, engineering, computer science medicine, communications technology, space exploration and many other areas.
Employable Skills of Physics Majors
Rather than preparing you for a specific career, a physics degree is more like a tool kit. The skills and knowledge you can gain enable you to pursue a wide range of careers. Below is a list (non-inclusive) of employable skills you can gain as a physics major.
• Able to design and perform experiments using particle accelerators, mass spectrometers, lasers and other specialized equipment
• Able to apply the laws of physics to solve problems in areas such as nuclear energy, optics, telecommunications and medical instrumentation
• Able to identify which tools to use and paths to take when finding solutions to problems
• Able to formulate and apply explicit approximations when solving problems
• Able to understand and interpret complicated scientific text
• Able to plan, execute, analyze and effectively report the results of an experiment
• Able to critically review the results of an experiment
• Able to produce clear and accurate scientific reports
• Able to evaluate the level of uncertainty in experiment results and compare them with expected outcomes
• Able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the fundamental laws of physics and apply them in diverse areas
• Able to understand mathematical modeling and of the role of approximation
Careers Relevant to a Physics Degree
The knowledge and skills you can gain by studying physics at the university level serve as an excellent foundation for a variety of careers. This is because the subject matter of the degree relates to certain occupational fields, and because the skills you’ll need to be an effective employee in many occupational fields can be gained in a physics degree program.
• Blogger
• Medical Laboratory Technologist
• Regulatory Affairs Specialist
Please Note: Some of the above listed careers require additional education, training and/or experience. Click on careers that are of interest to you to find out more about the qualifications you’ll need.
Who Employs Physics Graduates?
Below are examples of the types of employers that are interested in employing the specific skill set and knowledge base that a physics graduate can bring to the table:
• Aerospace companies
• Aircraft manufacturers
• Automobile manufacturers
• Chemical manufacturers
• Colleges & universities
• Computer hardware/software manufacturers
• Electrical equipment manufacturers
• Electronics industry
• Government - department of energy
• Medical schools
• Military
• Observatories
• Petroleum companies
• Power plants
• Research firms
• Schools (elementary & secondary)
• Steel/metal manufacturers
• Telecommunications industry
• Waste management and recycling firms
Common Career Fields for Physics Graduates
Deciding on your future is a very difficult thing. It isn’t made any easier by trying to choose from all of the career options you'll have (which is a very good problem to have). Narrowing your choices down by industry sector or field might make it a little easier. Below is a brief overview of the ways you can apply your physics degree to a future career.
Communication Technology: Involves the utilization of quantum physics for such tasks as encrypting security codes, inventing new technology and improving the performance of existing technology, among other things.
Environmental Science: Involves applying the laws and leading theories of physics to such tasks as investigating volcanoes, developing renewable energy technology and studying how climate change is affecting various ecosystems.
Astrophysics: The duties surrounding careers in Astrophysics include investigating the origins of the universe, searching for inhabitable planets, or designing satellites and rovers for space exploration.
Energy: Physics majors can find a multitude of careers in energy, from improving the efficiency of existing technology, to developing new energy sources and technology, to being involved in the sales, marketing or administrative efforts of these ventures.
Medicine: Physics majors working in the medical field are typically involved in the development of new medical technology and improving existing technology. NMR and PET scans, ultrasound, laser tools for surgery, and the use of nanotechnology are all a result of applying the principled of matter and energy to solve medical problems. Physics graduates also typically score very high on medical school entrance exams, and go on to become medical doctors.
Architecture & Engineering: A physics degree serves as great preparation for engineering and architecture programs and careers. These careers involve designing and building infrastructure such as schools, buildings, bridges and tunnels.
Law: An understanding of physics plays a key role in areas such as forensics, in which a detailed understanding of how objects move and the forces involved are crucial in the analysis of a crime or accident scene. It also plays an important role in patent law, as patent lawyers need to be able to understand new technology in order to effectively protect new inventions.
Teaching: An understanding of physics allows teachers of all levels to effectively communicate the fundamental ideas of physics and mathematics to students.
Sports: Physics is the driving force behind developments in sporting technology, such as increasing the protectiveness of football helmets, and building lighter and faster bicycles.
Video Game Development: Physics is behind much of the technology in video games. Programmers developing new games need a solid understanding of the basics of physics to create video games as they become more and more realistic.
Entertainment: Knowledge of physics can be applied in the entertainment industry in a variety of ways; from trying to predict sales figures, to controlling the sound-mixer at a concert, to designing the acoustics of a new studio.
Transportation: There are virtually too many applications of physics in the transportation industry to list on this page, although a few include designing or improving airplane technology and materials used in roadways.
Average Salary Levels of Physics Graduates
The salary you could earn with a physics degree varies based on a wide variety of factors, such as:
• The type, size, budget and discretion of your employer
• Your level of education
• Your level of certification (if applicable)
• The region in which you work
• How much overtime you are able to work (if applicable)
• The amount of responsibility inherent in your position
• Your level of experience (it’s worth noting that people with several years worth of experience can often earn substantially in their profession more than what’s listed below)
The salary you could earn as a graduate of this field is also highly dependent on the occupation you pursue. Below is an overview of the average earnings of people in a few career fields that are relevant to a degree in physics (some careers may require further education and training). Please note however, that the salary information listed below is meant only to serve as a guideline. In many cases, workers in these fields can earn a much lower, or much higher salary, than what is listed below.
Aerodynamicist
Alberta: $126,434 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United States:$93,472 (Glassdoor)
Aerospace Engineer
Alberta: $98,254 (ALIS)
Canada: $78,000 (PayScale)
United States: $113,030 (BLS)
Air Traffic Controller
Alberta: $101,122 (ALIS)
Canada: $102,934 (PayScale)
United States: $120,260 (BLS)
Airline Pilot
Alberta: $64,265 (ALIS)
Canada: $74,911 (PayScale)
United States: $111,930 (BLS)
Astronomer
Alberta: $126,434 (ALIS)
Canada: $98,769 (PayScale)
United States: $100,590 (BLS)
Astrophysicist
(See “Physicist”)
Biophysicist
Alberta: N/A
Canada: N/A
United States: $91,190 (BLS)
Cardiac Imaging Technologist
Alberta: $71,200 (ALIS)
Canada: $64,420 (indeed)
United States: $55,570 (indeed)
Cosmologist
Alberta: $126,434 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United States: $117,220 (BLS)
Electrical Engineer
Alberta: $98,528 (ALIS)
Canada: $75,633 (indeed)
United States: $102,180 (BLS)
Electronics Engineer
Alberta: $98,528 (ALIS)
Canada: $71,106 (indeed)
United States: $102,180 (BLS)
Energy Engineer
Alberta: N/A
Canada: $91,799 (indeed)
United States:$82,839 (indeed)
Energy Policy Analyst
Alberta: $55,368 (ALIS)
Canada: $58,882 (PayScale)
United States: $53,458 (PayScale)
Entrepreneur
(Varies too widely to provide useful figures)
Geophysicist
Alberta: $128,940 (ALIS)
Canada: $75,125 (PayScale)
United States: $93,615 (PayScale)
Health Physicist
Alberta: N/A
Canada: $125,118 (Glassdoor)
United States: $129,183 (Glassdoor)
Hydrologist
Alberta: $128,940 (ALIS)
Canada: $65,486 (PayScale)
United States: $79,990 (BLS)
Materials Scientist
Alberta: N/A
Canada: N/A
United States: $101,910 (BLS)
Medical Laboratory Technologist
Alberta: $77,398 (ALIS)
Canada: $67,160 (Glassdoor)
United States: $51,770 (BLS)
Meteorologist
Alberta: $86,419 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United States: $92,070 (BLS)
Molecular Biophysicist
(See “Biophysicist”)
MRI Technologist
Alberta: $77,016 (ALIS)
Canada: $69,023 (PayScale)
United States: $60,070 (BLS)
Nuclear Engineer
Alberta: N/A
Canada: N/A
United States: $105,810 (BLS)
Nuclear Physicist
(See “Physicist”)
Oceanographer
Alberta: $128,940 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United States: $101,541 (Glassdoor)
Physicist
Alberta: $126,434 (ALIS)
Canada: N/A
United States: $111,830 (BLS)
Plasma Physicist
(See “Physicist)
Quantitative Analyst
Alberta: $91,993 (ALIS)
Canada: $73,698 (PayScale)
United States: $84,300 (BLS)
Regulatory Affairs Manager
Alberta: N/A
Canada: $82,478 (indeed)
United States: $105,290 (Glassdoor)
Regulatory Affairs Specialist
Alberta: N/A
Canada: $58,942 (PayScale)
United States: $67,510 (Glassdoor)
Science Writer
Alberta: N/A
Canada: N/A
United States: $82,641 (Glassdoor)
Structural Engineer
Alberta: $99,194 (ALIS)
Canada: $69,435 (Glassdoor)
United States: $84,770 (BLS)
Technical Sales Engineer
Alberta: $72,229 (ALIS)
Canada: $83,627 (Glassdoor)
United States: $98,720 (BLS)
Technical Writer
Alberta: $58,979 (ALIS)
Canada: $56,634 (PayScale)
United States: $57,549 (BLS)
Toy Designer
Alberta: $69,264 (ALIS)
Canada: $49,193 (PayScale)
United States: $56,550 (BLS)
University Professor
Alberta: $74,877 (ALIS)
Canada: $157,610 (indeed)
United Sates: $76,000 (BLS)
The name in brackets next to the salary data for each region is the sources from which the data was obtained. Please note, the salary data that is sourced from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) represents median salary figures, rather than average salary figures.
Salary Data References
ALIS: Alberta Learning and Information Service (alis.alberta.ca), sponsored by the Government of Alberta. For an overview of their salary survey methodology, please visit here.
PayScale: Private organization owned by PayScale Incorporated (payscale.com). For an overview of their salary survey methodology, please visit here.
BLS: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov), sponsored by the federal government of the United States of America. For details regarding their salary survey methodology, please visit here.
Glassdoor: Glassdoor is a private organization owned by Glassdoor incorporated (glassdoor.com). For an overview of their salary survey methodology, please visit here.
Gaining Experience in Careers as a Student
Pursuing an internship (may also be known as a practicum, field placement, or co-op work opportunity) in career fields related to your physics degree is the best way to gain relevant work experience while you’re still in school. These opportunities allow you to gain professional competencies, while simultaneously offering employers valuable temporary team members.
An internship position can also result in being hired by the sponsoring organization upon graduation. If you’ve done quality work and made a good impression, chances are that organization will want to retain you on a full-time basis once you’ve graduated. They will already be familiar with you and your work ethic, and they will save a great deal of time and expense trying to recruit someone else.
Characteristics of a Successful Intern
You’ve landed an internship, now what? Your future isn’t guaranteed just by virtue of landing a solid internship. You have to make a great impression while you’re there. Follow these tips to ensure you’re making the most out of your opportunity:
• Demonstrate motivation
• Be seen as a ‘self-directed’ learner who knows when to ask for help
• Prepare properly for research and similar tasks
• Be open minded and non-judgmental
• Be respectful to co-workers and others in the building
• Demonstrate a passion for work
• Show a dedicated and committed work ethic
How Do I Find a Relevant Internship?
If the internship is an academic requirement, you will likely have the opportunity arranged for you, or at least a variety of potential options presented to you. If it is not a requirement, speak with your professors, other Physics department staff as well as your school’s guidance and career counselors to help you find a suitable opportunity.
Physics Scholarships
If you’re a physics major looking for help in paying for school, then you’re in luck! Our scholarships database has scholarships that are specific to physics, as well as science students in general. Be sure to apply for any and all scholarships for which you qualify, as there are millions of dollars of scholarships in Canada and the United States that go unused every year due to a lack of applicants.
Professional Associations
To find out more about careers directly related to your physics degree, consult the following professional association websites. They offer career-related information, and many have opportunities for student membership, as well as job placement and mentoring opportunities.
Canada
Canadian Association of Physicists
United States
American Association of Physics Teachers
National Association of Black Physicists
Society of Quantitative Analysts
