Environmental Scientist
Median wage · national
$82,220
Range: $64K – $108K
Employed
89K
Openings/yr
7K
Typically: bachelor's degree
STEM
Physics Teachers
Physics Teachers earn $100,310 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $74,050 and $132,650. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
About Physics Teachers
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a physics teachers: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Public Health and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Teach courses pertaining to the laws of matter and energy. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
- Median Wage
- $100,310
- Employed Nationally
- 13K
- Openings / Year
- 1,100
- Entry Education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 5: Extensive Preparation
Also known as:
Acoustics Teacher
Adjunct Instructor
Adjunct Physics Instructor
Adjunct Professor
Aerodynamics Professor
How Much Do Physics Teachers Make?
Most physics teachers take home around $100,310 a year, well above what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $74,050 and $132,650, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Worth weighing against how long the training takes. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$100,310
National Median (Annual)
Well above average for college graduates.
$74K–$133K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$74,050
Entry-level
$100,310
Median
$132,650
Experienced
What Do Physics Teachers Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as quantum mechanics, particle physics, and optics.
- Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Instructing
Science
Speaking
Reading Comprehension
Learning Strategies
Who Thrives Here
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
I
Investigative
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
Where Do Physics Teachers Work?
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.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Physics Teachers?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +2.4%, meaning it is growing slowly, a little behind the average job. Around 1,100 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↗ +2.4%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
Slower than average.
1,100
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
13K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Physics Teachers professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $100,310 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 1,130 | $139,420 | +39.0% |
| 2 | Texas | 1,110 | $97,760 | -2.5% |
| 3 | New York | 1,080 | $103,100 | +2.8% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 680 | $111,280 | +10.9% |
| 5 | Virginia | 610 | $104,490 | +4.2% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a doctoral or professional degree. The 5 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is a Teaching Specific Subjects program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
Typical Entry Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Job Zone
Zone 5: Extensive Preparation
Extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Public Health | 42,551 | $58,808 | 867 |
| 2 | Teaching Specific Subjects | 40,101 | $51,389 | 1,276 |
| 3 | Chemistry | 19,976 | $65,120 | 1,380 |
| 4 | Physics | 13,306 | $76,786 | 955 |
| 5 | Astronomy | 1,573 | $68,333 | 161 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Physics Teachers
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 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Physics Teachers, 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.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Physics Teachers pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Physics Teachers Pros & Cons
The data on Physics Teachers shows 2 measurable strengths and 3 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
PROS
- Very high median salary The national median of $100,310 places this career well above average for college graduates, with significant upside at the 75th percentile.
- High earning ceiling Top earners (75th percentile) reach $132,650 annually. Strong performers, specialists, and those in high-cost markets have significant upside beyond the median.
CONS
- Slow job growth At +2.4% projected growth, this career lags the national average. Limited expansion means stiffer competition for openings that do appear.
- High education requirement Most employers require a doctoral or professional degree, typically 6 to 10+ years of higher education before earning full wages. Factor tuition costs into your ROI calculation.
- Entry-level pay well below the national median The 25th percentile wage of $74,050 is considerably below the $100,310 median. Early-career workers typically spend 5 or more years building toward typical pay. Factor this into any program ROI calculation.
Physics Teachers Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Physics Teachers professionals earn?
Around $100,310 a year for the typical worker, well into the top quartile of US wages. The middle 50% of earners fall between $74,050 and $132,650. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Physics Teachers a good career?
Yes, for the right person, but the commitment is significant. The $100,310 median wage reflects years of training most workers invest, and the path to a first career-level role typically spans 8 to 12 or more years. Research salary outcomes at specific programs, not just the national median, before committing to a graduate path.
How long does it take to work as Physics Teachers?
Plan on 8 to 12 or more years of combined education and supervised training before qualifying for career-level roles. A doctoral or professional degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Public Health are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $100,310 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
Is a doctoral or professional degree worth it to become a Physics Teachers?
For in-state public programs, generally yes. The margin tightens significantly at private schools with heavy debt loads. A $100,310 median may take 15 to 20 years to recover at high-cost programs. School choice (specifically tuition cost and your expected local job market) matters as much as the credential itself.
What is the job outlook for Physics Teachers?
Employment is projected to change by +2.4% through 2035, slower than average compared with other occupations. Around 1,100 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 13K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
Why do Physics Teachers salaries vary so widely?
The $58,600 gap between the 25th ($74,050) and 75th ($132,650) percentile reflects how much employer type, industry, specialization, and geography affect pay. Entry-level roles and lower-demand markets cluster near the bottom; senior, specialized, or high-cost-metro positions push the top. In fields with this much spread, where you work and what you specialize in often matters more than years of experience.
What skills do Physics Teachers professionals need?
Mainly Instructing, Science, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, and Learning Strategies. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
-
10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
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.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
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.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
Colleges
Discover 3,811 verified US colleges and universities. Compare admissions, costs, outcomes, and earnings across every accredited institution nationwide.
Majors
Explore 38 fields of study spanning STEM, health, business, and the humanities. See earnings, top programs, and demand.
Programs
Browse 375 specific degree programs. See completion counts, earnings outcomes, and the colleges awarding the most graduates each year.
Careers
Look up 395 BLS occupations. Get median wages, growth projections, education requirements, and the majors leading to each career.