<p>I've done a little research, and I was wondering what kind of career would be pursued by a physics major.</p>
<p>It seems like I'd be doing research mostly, but how stable would pay be?
Is there a good site with lots of info about physics as a profession? It kinda seems random, whereas a business major has a set job to do after graduation - go into a corporation and work your way up to the top.</p>
<p>Sorry for my naivety.</p>
<p>just because you get a degree in physics dosn't mean you have to be researching relativity or trying to figure out worm holes. Physics covers dynamics, fluids, statics, heat transfer, electronics, magnetic energy, optics, nuclear, quantum, astro, and im sure im missing a few. Take your pick. You can be a scientist in any of those fields. Quite a few of them cross with different types of engineers.</p>
<p>so what exactly does a scientist do, and how does one go about getting a job in one's field? do universities help with that?</p>
<p>Hmm, physics research is pretty hardcore, and it's unlikely that you can end up working as a scientist with just a BS.</p>
<p>You can work in almost any field that requires mathematics. I'm pretty sure you can get many jobs that engineers do.</p>
<p>dtran09, check out Cornell's postgraduate survey for physics majors. These will give you good ideas where physics majors goto after graduation.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.arts.cornell.edu/career/careersafter/physics_05.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.arts.cornell.edu/career/careersafter/physics_05.pdf</a> (2005)
<a href="http://www.arts.cornell.edu/career/careersafter/physics04.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.arts.cornell.edu/career/careersafter/physics04.pdf</a> (2004)</p>
<p>Now, math majors
<a href="http://www.arts.cornell.edu/career/careersafter/mathematics_05.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.arts.cornell.edu/career/careersafter/mathematics_05.pdf</a> (2005)
<a href="http://www.arts.cornell.edu/career/careersafter/mathematics04.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.arts.cornell.edu/career/careersafter/mathematics04.pdf</a></p>
<p>compare that with engineering majors
<a href="http://www.engineering.cornell.edu/student-services/engineering-coop-career-services/statistics/Engineering-Post-Graduate-Survey-Results.cfm%5B/url%5D">http://www.engineering.cornell.edu/student-services/engineering-coop-career-services/statistics/Engineering-Post-Graduate-Survey-Results.cfm</a></p>
<p>mainly look for ECE, CS, and Mech.. </p>
<p>these will give you GOOD IDEAS about where each majors end up</p>
<p>thanks steevee and xjis</p>
<p>the Sloan Career Cornerstone website has lots of info for individuals interested in careers in sciences (including physics), math and engineering; see eg:</p>
<p>some of their career outlook and earnings info is pulled from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (which also provides general overviews and outlooks for different)</p>
<p>"You can work in almost any field that requires mathematics. I'm pretty sure you can get many jobs that engineers do."
CAN, but realistically, i dont think so. Physics touches on a wide variety of topics. Engineering goes in depth into a certain segment for real world problem solving.</p>
<p>Lots of good stats at <a href="http://www.aip.org/statistics%5B/url%5D">www.aip.org/statistics</a></p>
<p>Physics bachelors 1 year later: <a href="http://aip.org/statistics/trends/reports/winter2004c.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://aip.org/statistics/trends/reports/winter2004c.pdf</a></p>
<p>Who's hiring physics bachelors:
<a href="http://www.aip.org/statistics/whohires%5B/url%5D">www.aip.org/statistics/whohires</a></p>
<p>Typical starting salaries:
<a href="http://aip.org/statistics/trends/reports/fall06a.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://aip.org/statistics/trends/reports/fall06a.pdf</a></p>
<p>I think it should be kept in mind that just because you major in a particular subject does not mean that you have to pursue that subject for your career. Think of it this way. How many poli-sci students actually become professional political scientists? How many history students actually become professional historians? How many sociology students actually become professional sociologists? How many math students actually become professional mathematicians? </p>
<p>The truth of the matter is, many (probably the vast majority of) people will end up in jobs that have nothing to do with what they studied in college. A college major is just something that you choose out of personal interest to give you a foundation of logic and general knowledge that you can draw upon later in your life in whatever it is that you end up doing. It is not necessarily something you choose because you intend to work in that field for the rest of your life.</p>