Physics Schools

As a professor or instructor of physics classes at one of the 884 accredited physics schools in the country, you play a significant role in shaping the future of this growing field. Below are charts, statistics and analysis of the trends in physics academia which includes physics training at the following levels:

  • Physics Certificate
  • Associates degree in Physics
  • Bachelors degree in Physics
  • Masters degree in Physics
  • PhD degree in Physics

Statistics

Professional Trends

National Employment growth for Physics professionals

15,420 13,980 14,810 13,630 16,860
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
  • Dark Yellow: Actual Values

There were 16,860 physics professionals working in the US in 2010. Over the course of the past 4 years, this number has grown by 9%.

This growth is faster than the growth for all careers between the years 2006 and 2010, which was 1%. This trend is expected to contine until the year 2018.

National Salary percentiles for Physics professionals

10th percentile		 $58,850
25th percentile		 $79,710
50th percentile		 $106,370
75th percentile		 $139,060
90th percentile		 $171,750

The median yearly salary earned by physics professionals, in 2010, was $106,370. The national median salary for all professions, was $68,155 in the same year. Thus, the median yearly salary for physics professionals in the US was 64% more than the national median salary for all professions.

National Median Salary Growth For Physics

$94,240 $96,850 $102,890 $106,390 $106,370
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
  • Light Blue: Salaries

Physics professionals' salaries have grown by 13% between the years 2006 and 2010.

Educational Trends

National Physics Student enrollment growth by degree

140 164 154 179 213
5,200 5,576 5,650 5,581 5,800
1,582 1,738 1,799 1,884 1,863
2,154 2,021 2,098 1,932 2,035
86 61 96 60 74
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
  • Yellow: Associate's Degree in Physics
  • Blue: Bachelor's Degree in Physics
  • Red: Doctorates Degree in Physics
  • Light blue: Master's Degree in Physics
  • Grey: Certificate in Physics

We are seeing a rapid change in the career outlook for physics professionals. However, the story on the educational front is quite different. In the US, 9,162 students graduated from physics degree programs in 2006. And in 2010, 9,985 students graduated from physics schools.

This represents a 9% change in the number of graduates. The growth nationally for students graduating from institutions of higher learning in general has been 12% from 2006 to 2010. Thus, the growth in the number of students graduating from physics courses is less than the change in the number of students graduating in all disciplines in the US.

Physics Programs offered Nationwide

associate		 66
bachelor		 870
master		 305
doctor		 256
Certificate		 8
Total1,505

It is interesting to note that as student graduation is up, the number of schools offering physics programs has decreased. In the year 2006, there were 873 physics schools in the US. And in the year 2010, there were 884 schools.

Physics Faculty Salaries

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Enter your salary to gain access to our continually growing higher education faculty salary database. Don't worry! This is 100% secure and anonymous.

Currently we are in the process of collecting data for the number of physics faculty, growth in the field of physics academia and faculty salaries. This is where we need your help. If you teach physics courses to students at the certificate in physics, associates degree in physics, bachelors degree in physics, masters degree in physics, and PhD degree in physics levels, please anonymously submit your information in the field below. By doing so, you will be helping us build a valuable database resource for the benefit of current and future physics faculty. Once you submit your information, you will get a chance to see the data we have collected thus far.

States

  1. Physics Schools in California104 Schools
  2. Physics Schools in New York61 Schools
  3. Physics Schools in Texas59 Schools
  4. Physics Schools in Pennsylvania58 Schools
  5. Physics Schools in Ohio34 Schools
  6. Physics Schools in Illinois33 Schools
  7. Physics Schools in Massachusetts31 Schools
  8. Physics Schools in Michigan29 Schools
  9. Physics Schools in Virginia26 Schools
  10. Physics Schools in Indiana25 Schools
  11. Physics Schools in Georgia22 Schools
  12. Physics Schools in Minnesota21 Schools
  13. Physics Schools in Tennessee21 Schools
  14. Physics Schools in North Carolina20 Schools
  15. Physics Schools in Wisconsin19 Schools
  16. Physics Schools in Missouri18 Schools
  17. Physics Schools in Oklahoma17 Schools
  18. Physics Schools in Iowa17 Schools
  19. Physics Schools in Florida16 Schools
  20. Physics Schools in New Jersey16 Schools
  21. Physics Schools in Kansas16 Schools
  22. Physics Schools in Louisiana15 Schools
  23. Physics Schools in Maryland15 Schools
  24. Physics Schools in Kentucky15 Schools
  25. Physics Schools in South Carolina13 Schools
  26. Physics Schools in Washington State13 Schools
  27. Physics Schools in Arkansas11 Schools
  28. Physics Schools in Colorado11 Schools
  29. Physics Schools in Oregon11 Schools
  30. Physics Schools in Nebraska11 Schools
  31. Physics Schools in Alabama11 Schools
  32. Physics Schools in Mississippi10 Schools
  33. Physics Schools in Connecticut9 Schools
  34. Physics Schools in Utah8 Schools
  35. Physics Schools in Arizona7 Schools
  36. Physics Schools in Washington DC6 Schools
  37. Physics Schools in Idaho6 Schools
  38. Physics Schools in Vermont6 Schools
  39. Physics Schools in Maine5 Schools
  40. Physics Schools in New Mexico5 Schools
  41. Physics Schools in West Virginia5 Schools
  42. Physics Schools in Rhode Island4 Schools
  43. Physics Schools in South Dakota4 Schools
  44. Physics Schools in North Dakota3 Schools
  45. Physics Schools in Wyoming3 Schools
  46. Physics Schools in Nevada3 Schools
  47. Physics Schools in New Hampshire3 Schools
  48. Physics Schools in Delaware2 Schools
  49. Physics Schools in Montana2 Schools
  50. Physics Schools in Hawaii2 Schools
  51. Physics Schools in Alaska2 Schools

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