How to become a physicist

What the work looks like

A large share of physics work is modeling, coding and instrument building. Many physics PhDs end up in software, finance, engineering and data roles, where the training carries over well even if the job title changes.

The official O*NET job description lists tasks such as:

• Analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena.
• Report experimental results by writing papers for scientific journals or by presenting information at scientific conferences.
• Perform complex calculations as part of the analysis and evaluation of data, using computers.

The route in

Pay in the US

The May 2025 national figures for physicists run from $82,110 at the 10th percentile to $274,110 at the 90th, with a median of $172,250 and a mean of $171,180. BLS projects employment growth of 7% over 2025-35 (much faster than average), with about 1,500 openings a year.

If you do a PhD in this area

In 2025 the median research doctorate recipient in physical sciences took 6.8 years from bachelor's degree, 6.0 years from starting graduate school and 5.8 years from starting the doctoral program.

In 2025, of 5,332 research doctorate recipients in physical sciences, 3,058 reported a definite postgraduation commitment and 1,538 of those were postdoctoral study positions in the United States. That is 50.3% of those with a commitment.

In the UK

UK physics degrees are often four-year integrated master's (MPhys), and PhDs are usually around three to four years with funding from research councils.

ONS ASHE 2026 (provisional) gives median annual gross pay of £52,044 for full-time employees in SOC 2020 group 2114, physical scientists. This is a provisional figure from a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide.