What can i do with a masters in physics

One of the great benefits of studying physics is the employability and the wide range of potential career directions afterwards. They may pursue careers in science in academia or industry, seek work in a related area such as teaching physics or science communication, or take up jobs in business or finance. Many physics graduates go on to further study after finishing their undergraduate degrees.

This guide should help you think about the skills you have, the jobs they can be applied to, and the range of options available. You will also find out about employment rates for physics graduates, the areas of employment that attract them and the type of work they are likely to be doing six months after graduation.

Skills for your CV

Skills you should have picked up include:

• communication and presentation skills
• computational and data-processing skills
• data analysis using a range of appropriate statistical methods and packages
• identify and predict trends and patterns
• problem solving skills
• report writing
• research skills

Job roles and career areas you could work in

Obvious careers for physicists that want to start working now include graduate schemes with research companies like DSTL or consultancies like Atkins. These employers generally use on the job training and recruit graduates on an annual basis.

Other jobs physics graduates go into include finance and IT. The creation of models or running of analysis are also big employers of physics graduates. Associated roles can include anything from risk analysis to weather forecasting.

One area where physics students are sadly lacking is teaching. There are scholarships and bursaries available to help with the cost of teacher training to encourage physics graduates to enter the profession.

With further qualifications or training, job roles open to physics graduates in science, business and other areas include the following:

What do physics graduates go on to do?

Here’s what graduates of physical sciences who finished their degrees in 2018 were doing around 15 months after graduating, according to the graduate outcomes statistics reported by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in 2020.

Source: HESA's higher education graduate outcomes statistics, 2020

Key areas of employment for physics graduates

These are the top five areas of work taken up by 2018 graduates of physical sciences around 15 months after graduation, according to the graduate outcomes statistics reported by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in 2020.

Source: HESA's higher education graduate outcomes statistics, 2020

Which careers attract physics students?

Energy and utilities was by far the most popular career choice for students of physical sciences identified by a 2020 survey of more than 71,000 undergraduates carried out by Cibyl, a research business owned by the same company as targetjobs. Just over a quarter ( 25.9% ) of students of physical sciences, a group of degree subjects that includes physics, who participated in the survey said they were interested in this area. The most popular careers for students of physical sciences were as follows:

Source: Graduate Survey 2020

Famous people with physics degrees

Of course there are plenty of other things you can do with a physics degree. They don’t even have to have any visible connection to physics. Just take these famous graduates for example:

• Brian Cox – completed his undergraduate degree, masters and doctorate at the University of Manchester, and has since presented science documentaries such as Wonders of the Solar System .
• Dara Ó Briain – the host of Mock the Week has a degree in maths and theoretical physics from University College Dublin.
• Brian May – the lead guitarist of Queen has a PhD in astrophysics from Imperial College London.
• Angela Merkel – worked as a research scientist before becoming Chancellor of Germany.

Get science, research and development related careers advice .

What salaries can physics and astronomy graduates earn?

Want to know what graduates in your degree discipline typically earn in different locations? The Pay Index has provided targetjobs with a handy graduate salary tool showing just that.

Since earning the career title of physicist usually requires students to further their education by completing a doctoral degree, many students are left wondering what careers are available with a master's in physics. Unlike some of the other scientific fields, physics is a very flexible degree that does not directly prepare students for any specific employment options after graduation unless there is a Ph.D. in hand. That being said, the following are four of the most common career choices that would be a great fit for students who have received a graduate degree in physics at the master's level.

Medical Physicist

For graduates who have supplemented their physics degree with courses related to human anatomy, biology, and medical practices, the role of medical physicist could be the perfect fit. As prescribed by a physician, medical physicists are given the responsibility of ensuring the safe and efficient delivery of radiation for the diagnosis and treatment of patients. Medical physicists work to guarantee that patients are not overexposed to harmful radiation and are positioned correctly for effective imaging results. Medical physicists work primarily with x-ray, MRI, and CT scanning systems in radiology departments of hospitals or other medical facilities.

Aerospace, Chemical, or Electrical Engineer

Within the broad field of engineering, earning a degree in physics can open numerous career opportunities in research and development. Aerospace engineers utilize their knowledge of physics, thermodynamics, aerodynamics, flight mechanics, and propulsion to coordinate the design of aircraft products within or outside the Earth's atmosphere. Taking courses in physics can also be beneficial for chemical engineers, who are responsible for supervising the manufacture process of electrical equipment from design through sale. Chemical engineers also apply the principles of physics through the production of chemicals, foods, drugs, and fuels.

Computer Programmer

In both the public and private sectors, computer programmers are in-demand for today's digital age to write the codes needed to build the software programs that make computers function appropriately. Computer programmers are responsible for turning the designs created by software engineers into instructions that a computer can easily follow through the computer languages of C++ or Java. Although having a degree in physics can be excellent preparation for understanding the inner workings of a computer, it is recommended that students pursuing this career choice supplement their major with courses related to computer science as well.

High School Physics Teacher

Within public or private secondary schools, high school physics teachers are able to integrate their expertise in physics with their passion for teaching to inspire the future generation of physicists. High school physics teachers will be responsible for planning interactive lessons, assessing students' abilities, grading students' assignments, communicating with parents about any academic concerns, preparing students for standardized testing, and designing dynamic physics lab experiments for hands-on learning. Along with a major in physics, students seeking to become an educator will need to complete a teacher preparation sequence for certification.

Overall, there is a broad array of career opportunities available to graduate students in physics who are not interested in spending additional years of schooling for receiving a doctorate. In fact, Forbes magazine recently ranked physics as the 6th best master's degree for jobs due to its mid-career median salary of $114,000 and projected employment growth of 20.3 percent. As one of the most fundamental sciences, earning a master's in physics provides graduates with highly marketable skills that can be put to good use in many booming industries, including healthcare, engineering, technology, and education.

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