Can I Make a Physics Career at 40?

[ber70]

I am 40. I finished physics (BS) 15 years ago. But I din't work as a physicist. Can I make phyics career or PHD on physics now?

 

[BenTheMan]

What do you mean by "career"?

Judging from the job postings I've seen, it may be better to have 15 years of experience than a PhD.

Anyway, if you want to be a professor, it's probably not going to work. Figure a year or two for you to catch up on stuff you've forgotten to take the GRE, 6 years in grad school then post docs, maybe a faculty position in ten years, and an additional 3-5 for tenure? It seems pretty unlikely that you'll ever cover your opportunity costs.

I dunno---unless you're doing a PhD to prove something to yourself, you're probably better off doing something else.