How to Become a Physicist

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If you’ve been fascinated by the wonders and mysteries of the universe from a young age, becoming a physicist might be the right career path for you. Your journey to becoming a physicist starts with meeting the educational requirements, such as obtaining a bachelor’s degree in physics at a minimum, and developing the necessary scientific, analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills before you can land a great job as a physicist.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Meeting the Educational Requirements

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  1. Get good grades in all your subjects in high school. Getting good grades in all your subjects in high school, not just physics and math, will help you get into the best colleges. Be sure to take AP courses such as AP Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, and Computer Science. [1]
    • Make sure you attend all of your classes and turn in all of your homework. Good attendance and making sure you turn in all of your homework will help you get better grades.
    • If you’re struggling with any of your subjects, ask your teacher for extra help.
  2. [2] If you’re sure that you want to be a physicist, major in physics as an undergraduate, and focus on your studies to maintain a high GPA in both your physics major and in all your college courses.
    • Students usually have to declare their majors in their sophomore (second) year of college.
    • Having a high GPA, not only in just your physics major but in all your classes, makes you a stronger candidate when either applying for graduate schools or going directly into the workforce after college.
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  3. While nearly 50% of physics majors go directly into the workforce after getting a bachelor’s degree, often the best and highest paying career options in physics require a graduate degree. [3]
    • While you sometimes might be able to teach physics at the high school level with just a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree is necessary to teach at the junior college level. Some high schools even require a master’s degree to teach physics at their schools. [4]
    • In addition to greater work opportunities in the educational sector, those with master’s degrees in physics have more career opportunities open to them in the private sector and government as well.
  4. [5] A PhD is required for those who want to be a physics professor at a 4-year college or university or for those who wish to obtain the most illustrious physics research positions.
    • While there are job opportunities in both the government and private sectors for physicists with bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees, [6] the most respected and well-paying physics research positions in the government or private sectors often require a PhD.
    • It's often free to obtain a PhD in physics for graduate students who teach or do research. [7] In addition to free tuition, graduate students in physics who teach or do research also receive a modest stipend of around $12,000 per year or more to cover their living expenses. [8]
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Developing the Necessary Skills

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  1. Having research experience in your field helps improve the skills necessary to becoming a successful physicist and makes you a more attractive candidate when either applying for graduate schools or going directly into the workforce after college. [9]
    • To obtain research experience, ask your physics professors if they have any research projects on which you can assist them.
    • Contact physicists who work in private industry or in the government and ask them if you can volunteer to help them with any projects they’re working on.
    • Also consider applying for the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. More information about applying can be found at https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5517&from=fund .
  2. Your analytical and problem-solving skills will be developed in both your physics coursework and in your physics research, but seek out other opportunities to further develop these important skills whenever you can. [10]
    • Take other science classes besides just physics. Exposing yourself to other sciences will open your mind to new ways of analyzing and solving problems.
    • If your college has a Physics Club, join it. There, you'll enjoy the benefits of expanding your analytical and problem-solving skills outside the classroom, while also socializing with others who are interested in physics, too.
  3. While you’ll be taking many physics, math, and science courses in college, also take classes and explore other opportunities that will improve your speaking, writing, and interpersonal skills. [11]
    • As a physicist, not only do you need strong science and math skills, but you also need solid speaking and writing skills in order to teach physics to others, present your research at conferences, and publish your research in scientific journals.
    • Some classes that you might want to consider taking include English literature, business management, oral communication, and scientific writing. [12]
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Finding a Job and Working as a Physicist

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  1. Search general job sites like Indeed, Monster, and LinkedIn as well as physics-specific sites like https://jobs.physicstoday.org/ to find positions that interest you and that you are qualified for.
    • To find job openings for physicists in the federal government, visit https://www.usajobs.gov/ .
    • Sometimes physics conferences also sponsor job fairs that can connect physics job seekers and hiring managers on the spot.
  2. Jobs in physics are typically in one of these three areas. And on any given day, you can find physicists in these sectors working on exciting projects involving robotics, climate forecasting, space exploration, inventing new medical instruments and treatments, and exploring novel ways to generate power. [13]
    • Physics jobs in the private sector consist of industrial jobs in private labs. Private sector industrial jobs often consist of physics research on lasers, semiconductors, and computers.
    • Physicists who go into government jobs often find themselves working in a national laboratory, and they're either research scientists or technicians/engineers for a variety of projects having national interest. [14]
    • Academic jobs consist of teaching and/or research at the high school, college, or university level. If you enjoy teaching physics, you should consider a career in academia, but be aware that jobs at the college and university level are very scarce and difficult to obtain. There are many more job openings for teaching physics at the high school level.
  3. Scientific knowledge is always changing, so as a physicist, it’s important to stay up to date on the latest news and trends in physics. Join a professional association to help keep your knowledge and skills fresh.
    • Some professional associations that you may want to consider becoming involved in, depending on your specific interests, include the American Physical Society (APS), the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPS), and the American Institute of Physics (AIP).
    • Professional associations provide you with access to key publications in physics and opportunities to network with other physicists.
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    Note the exact moment the car you're following passes a particular point on the side of the road. Measure the time it takes for your car to reach that same point. If it takes at least two seconds, you're traveling at a safe distance behind the car in front. Measure the time with a watch or stopwatch, or count the seconds by saying "one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three," etc.
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  • Question
    What does a physicist do?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Physicists may qualify for a very wide range of careers in science, industry and academia. See Part 3 above. Also see Wikipedia's article on "Physicist."
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  • Question
    Are astrophysicists and physicists the same?
    Donagan
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    No. Physicists study the nature of physical matter. Astrophysicists are astronomers. They study the universe, its objects and their interactions.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-become-a-physicist
      2. ↑ Sean Alexander, MS. Physics Tutor. Expert Interview. 14 May 2020.
      3. ↑ https://www.aps.org/careers/physicists/prospects.cfm
      4. ↑ https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/physicists-and-astronomers.htm#tab-4
      5. ↑ Sean Alexander, MS. Physics Tutor. Expert Interview. 14 May 2020.
      6. ↑ https://www.aps.org/careers/physicists/prospects.cfm
      7. ↑ https://www.aps.org/careers/physicists/undergraduate.cfm
      8. ↑ https://www.aip.org/statistics/physics-trends/typical-stipends
      9. ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-become-a-physicist
      1. ↑ https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/physicists-and-astronomers.htm#tab-4
      2. ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-become-a-physicist
      3. ↑ https://www.aps.org/careers/physicists/undergraduate.cfm
      4. ↑ https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/physicists-and-astronomers.htm#tab-4
      5. ↑ https://www.aps.org/careers/physicists/bsphysgov.cfm

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Becoming a physicist can take a long time, but you can get started on the career path by meeting educational requirements and honing your scientific and analytical skills. If you’re still in high school, get good grades in all of your classes, not just math and physics, so you will look appealing to colleges. If you’re struggling to maintain your grades, don’t be afraid to ask a teacher for help. After high school, earning a bachelor’s degree in physics will be enough to land a job, but consider pursuing a master’s degree or Ph.D. so you can land higher-paying positions. In addition to academics, volunteer in physics labs to gain research experience. Work on your communication skills with English classes as well, since being a physicist require explaining your work to the world. For more help, like how to find a job as a physicist, scroll down.

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