Worth it to get a master's degree after a bachelor's in physics?

[ggg1111]

Looking for a bit of advice regarding career/further education prospects. I graduated in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in physics and environmental studies with a decentish GPA (3.5). In the time since, I have been teaching physics at the high school level. This was never my long-term plan, and I'm looking to move into a different career.

I have applied to non-teaching jobs in engineering or entry-level research positions over the past few years but have had trouble finding anything. Now that I am a few years removed from undergrad, would it be worth it to return to school to get a master's in an engineering discipline or applied physics?

I am interested in research, but a PhD would keep me in school until my early 30s, and I am not confident about my qualifications to get accepted to a PhD program. I have heard differing things about masters degrees in engineering/applied physics regarding out-of-pocket price and overall usefulness. Would a master's degree increase my marketability enough to offset the (probably high) out-of-pocket cost?

 

[echaniot]

Hello. I can share my experience in case it helps..

I don't think there is a one-size-fits-all solution there. Everyone has their own path which is forged by many factors. For example I finished my BSc and was already working in an experiment with a small contract. I started my MSc , shifted to another experiment, with scholarship plus a small contract there. However, life had other plans and eventually I had to find a full time paying job plus I wanted more education and outreach in my life.

I found a job in RnD in science education. I am there for 12 years, finishing a PhD in science education in my late 30s and keeping up with my Physics as much as I can. I hope that one day I can return to Physics, maybe with a second PhD. That's my story more or less so far.

If your priority is to find a job and get paid, do that as you are. STEM graduates, even with a BSc, are valuable employees in education and some branches of industry -at least in some countries. If you find something that you like you can try your hand in an MSc (or MBA) in parallel and evolve from there.

If you have time, and money is not a problem right now, then try to find out what you want to do and proceed accordingly (try internships, online courses..). People I know shifted from Physics to big data analytics after their PhD (doing online courses) and they found their choice rewarding. It depends on your priorities.
I wish you good luck.

 

[CrysPhys]

Looking for a bit of advice regarding career/further education prospects. ...

* Your question is a bit tricky to answer. From your profile, I see that you're in the US. If you had a BS in a major engineering field (such as electrical, mechanical, civil, chemical ...) and asked whether it would be worthwhile (with respect to increasing career prospects) to get a MS in engineering, I would respond yes. If you had a BS physics and asked whether it would be worthwhile to get a MS physics, I would say no. But you have a BS physics and are asking whether it would be worthwhile getting a MS in engineering or applied physics.

* My first take is to drop the option of a MS in applied physics. Employers generally will know what to expect from a MS EE, ME, .... But generally they won't know what to expect from a MS in applied physics. How would your education and experience differ from a regular MS physics (not generally a plus)? They would have to delve into details to sort this out. And if they have a pile of resumes from candidates with a MS EE, ME, ...., they probably won't take the time to sort this out; they'll simply chuck your resume.

* During your undergrad years, did you take any engineering electives? If so, did you lean towards a particular field? Did you acquire any tech experience (e.g., working in a lab or in manufacturing) during the semester or during summers? What about during summers your last several years as a high-school teacher?

* Assuming you do get a master's in an engineering field, you will be competing against candidates who got their BS in engineering, got engineering experience during the semester or summer, maybe completed a research project or undergrad thesis, and then completed their master's program as well.

* So to be competitive, you may need remedial courses (some master's programs may allow for this), and you want a master's program that has a project/thesis component; not just courses. But even if you go through all that, there is no guarantee of a job. If you're unlucky, you could graduate in a brutal market, just like the class of 2026 (if you haven't already, look at this recent thread: https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...ition-after-physics-bachelors-degree.1086534/ ; that person's circumstances are different from yours, but lots of useful info for you) ... or the classes of 2000/2001 (InterNet Bubble Burst). I knew experienced engineers with advanced degrees who got caught up in the layoffs of 2000/2001 and couldn't find other industry jobs ... several became high-school science and math teachers .