What is the most competitive field in USA?

rukshan

What is the most competitive and least competitive field in USA?

Is it Astronomy? Astrophysics?

Is it condensed matter physics?

Is it high energy / nuclear physics?

or Bio physics ?

Locrian

Heh. Law, of course!

rukshan

I mean physics fields

Asphodel

Depending on how specialized you make your subfield, it's easy to find physics fields with well under 1000 people in them. Competitive might not be the best descriptor?

robphy

Define competitive... including criteria (funding? new-faculty opportunities? postdoc opportunities? etc).

mathwonk

profesional basketball, hands down, is more competitive than any of those areas you mentioned. those graduate programs are begging for students, and in pro bball, fantastic players are looking for a living.

Helical

Do I laugh or cry..?

By the way.. Are astronomy/astrophysics programs really begging for students, I always thought these were sort of popular fields but that might just be because I've always like them?

rukshan

Is this the best answer you can give?

ank_gl

why do you want to know whats the most competitive??? chose any field, and you ll ofcourse find competition if you are good

Asphodel

You've got three posts saying your question is too vague. Is that the best clarification you can give?

rukshan

if my question is too vague,simply don't answer. People who can answer have already answered and will answer. I understand the competition(popularity) depends on state and university and I just want personal opinions. I'm simply asking about the opportunities for those fields.

robphy

http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/grad_subfield.html
http://www.aip.org/statistics/

DrClapeyron

Well, if a meteor having entered through the ceiling of the McDonald's on Louisiana and Austin wipes out every known name in a certain field of physics, then I would say it was a competitive field.

mathwonk

you have a lot of nerve to be asking for help and also criticizing the responses you get. if you diss the advice you get for free, find your own answers. you are not providing anything of value here, so we will not suffer from incurring your displeasure.

flyingpig

Probably Engineering.