Write out the prediction
Write equations that turn an idea into a specific result you expect a measurement to show.
Career profile
Physicist
Physicists work out how energy and matter behave, using math and lab tests.
When a measurement disagrees with your prediction, you decide whether to revise your explanation or the test itself.
A day in the life
Position lenses and detectors
In optics research, you set lenses and detectors in place to collect measurements of how light behaves.
Compare the model with data
Graph both the simulation and the real data, and investigate any gap before you change the model.
Share results with other scientists
Put your results into a paper or a talk so other scientists can check your reasoning.
Quick facts
Usually a doctorate
United States
$172,250/year
United States · May 2025
7.2% projected growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Usually a doctorateResearch jobs typically require a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Some federal entry jobs accept a bachelor's degree.
Pay
$172,250/yearMedian physicist wage; about $82.81/hour using 2,080 hours per year.
Outlook
7.2% projected growthAbout 1,300 physicist openings annually, including replacement openings.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You enjoy using math to explain something you can measure.
- You want to understand why an answer is wrong.
- You like explaining your reasoning to people who question it.
Things to weigh
- An unsuccessful experiment can mean rethinking your approach.
- Some jobs run beyond a 40-hour week.
Where AI may help
In some accelerator labs, software learns from data to correct changes in particle beams and lasers. This is machine learning.
What people still lead
You choose the scientific question and judge whether a result supports the explanation.
What we can’t predict yet
How much of an experiment software can reliably plan and run remains an open engineering challenge, especially when conditions change.
Pay in context
Earnings
The median covers the occupation, not starting salaries.
The spread is wide
The lowest 10% earned below $82,110; the highest 10% earned above $274,110.
Workplace matters
Annual medians were $176,170 in scientific research services, $146,900 in the federal government excluding postal service, and $84,600 in state colleges and universities.
Openings include replacements
The projected 1,300 annual openings include people leaving the occupation as well as growth. They are not a count of vacancies today.
Getting started
Study through a research doctorate
- What the route involves
- Build on undergraduate study with advanced physics, doctoral examinations, and original thesis research with a faculty adviser.
- What it can lead to
- The usual preparation for research and academic physicist roles.
Meet federal physicist qualifications
- What the route involves
- Earn a physics degree, or a related degree with at least 24 semester hours of physics. Another route combines equivalent physics coursework with appropriate experience or additional education.
- What it can lead to
- You can meet the basic qualifications for federal Physics Series 1310 positions; each vacancy has additional requirements.
- What to check
- Coursework must include general physics and two of these areas: electricity and magnetism, heat, light, mechanics, modern physics, or sound.
Research and federal entry offer different education routes.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get established
A postdoctoral research role can help you build independence after your doctorate.
Own a piece of the research
Become the person colleagues rely on for a measurement method or simulation.
Lead a research direction
Senior roles can bring responsibility for colleagues' work and research funding.
Where you can work
University research groups
Work alongside faculty and doctoral students. Advising thesis research makes explaining methods part of the setting.
- Office
- Lab
Accelerator laboratories
Your experiment depends on a large shared instrument. Beam stability and control systems can matter as much as the sample you want to study.
- Lab
- Office
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Make a small pendulum with string and a soft object. Predict whether a longer string changes its swing time, then time several swings at two lengths and repeat. Compare the results with your prediction. Notice whether investigating measurement differences interests you.
Stay safe: Use a small swing and keep the area clear.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine. Physicists, 19-2012.00. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Physicists and Astronomers: Occupational Outlook Handbook. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational projections and worker characteristics, 2025–2035. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Physics Series 1310. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Guidelines for Physics Doctoral Candidates. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. AI/ML in the BACI Program. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Machine Learning for Science: Projects. Accessed 2026-10-04.