With a national median of $172,250 and +4.0% projected job growth through 2034, Physicist offers both strong financial return and stable long-term demand.
Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories.
Also known as:
Physicist earn $172,250 nationally, well above the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $111,720 and $222,760. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.
Well above average for college graduates.
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
O*NET data identifies 5 core activities and 5 measurable skills for Physicist roles. Use this section to judge whether the day-to-day reality aligns with what you actually want to spend time doing.
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
Hands-on tasks, physical activity, or working with tools and real materials are central parts of the daily work here.
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Low time pressure. Work pace is typically steady and self-directed.
The BLS projects +4.0% employment change for Physicist through 2034, roughly in line with the national average of +5%. About 1,700 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.
About as fast as average.
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.
The five states below employ the most Physicist professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $172,250 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 6,220 | $180,900 | +5.0% |
| 2 | Illinois | 1,660 | $131,260 | -23.8% |
| 3 | Maryland | 1,420 | $163,950 | -4.8% |
| 4 | Virginia | 1,260 | $164,180 | -4.7% |
| 5 | New York | 1,190 | $174,160 | +1.1% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
Most Physicist positions require a doctoral or professional degree to qualify. The 4 programs below are the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.
Extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions.
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Public Health | 42,551 | $58,808 | 867 |
| 2 | Physics | 13,306 | $76,786 | 955 |
| 3 | Astronomy | 1,573 | $68,333 | 161 |
| 4 | Engineering Physics | 1,047 | $89,154 | 140 |
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD | 97 | — | — |
| 2 | United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO | 96 | — | — |
| 3 | United States Military Academy West Point, NY | 96 | — | — |
| 4 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ | 94 | $6,128 | $110,066 |
| 5 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 6 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | 93 | $12,470 | $84,943 |
Once you've sized up Physicist, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
See if the degree that leads to Physicist pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
The data on Physicist shows 3 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
High-stress careers pay about 14 percent more than moderate-stress ones, a real premium that survives even after you control for the degree required.
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
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