Besides astrophysics what career job can I get under physics?

Question

Besides astrophysics what career job can I get under physics?

I don't want to be a teacher / professor. Nor do I want to get into astronomy.

So what can I do with a Phd in physics?

Answer 1

Physics is one of those fields that is applicable across a WIDE range of professions. Pretty much any field for that matter. Physics is basically the study of how everything works. Even career fields that may require a specific degree to do, such as medicine, could at least benefit from a minor in physics.

Answer 2

There are honestly a lot of options for people with Masters or Bachelor's degrees in physics. Many times they are hired in positions alongside engineers.



But to be honest, you actually limit yourself if you go for a PhD in physics. Most companies will not hire PhD's in science or technical fields, the expected salary for someone holding a PhD in physics is substantial and many companies can't afford it. The most likely place to work with a PhD in physics would be academia and research. If you don't want to teach there are some universities that will hire research scientists and let them conduct research, otherwise your other likely position is at a National Laboratory. These are federally funded labs who do research on any number of areas. Nuclear, weaponry, energy, particle physics, biological, materials etc etc.



A PhD in physics is really primarily applicable to research and advancing the field, so if you don't want to do research I suggest you look elsewhere.

Answer 3

You'd need a PhD in physics to work as a professor, and it's a very hard job to get. It's certainly not a backup career, so if you don't want it, good. With a bachelors or higher in physics, you can work for the government (NSA, EPA, DoD), for industry (GE, Sony, Google, etc), power companies (nuclear, solar, oil, wind, etc), hospitals (medical physics, dosimetry, radiation physics), government contractors, finance, and many related jobs.

Answer 4

Medical physicist. Also in the semi conductor industry you can get a job as well.