How much can someone with a phd in physics make?

[agent_509]

I know that you shouldn't get a phd for the money, and you should get one because you want one. I am just wondering how much someone with a phd in physics can make depending on what job they choose.

 

[Jack21222]

Same range as somebody with a high school diploma can make. Anywhere from $0 to hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Like you said, it depends on what job they choose. What job did you have in mind specifically?

 

[agent_509]

anything involving research in physics. Whether it be being a professor at a research university, working for the government, most anything involving research really.

 

[jtbell]

http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/highlite/salary/salary06.htm (from the American Institute of Physics)

 

[Troponin]

Brian May is worth about $80 million, but his PhD is in Astrophysics. I don't know if you're considering the various sub-fields or not.

 

[lisab]

Brian May is worth about $80 million, but his PhD is in Astrophysics. I don't know if you're considering the various sub-fields or not.

Ah, but he took that rare and difficult rock-star-to-scientist route .

 

[agent_509]

okay, thanks for the answers everyone, I think I got what I was looking for from jtbell's link.

 

[twofish-quant]

I know that you shouldn't get a phd for the money, and you should get one because you want one. I am just wondering how much someone with a phd in physics can make depending on what job they choose.

Starting salary for Ph.D. level quants on Wall Street is roughly $100K + $50K bonus. With three years of experience, you make VP level, and that gets you about $150K salary + $100K bonus. Most people stay at VP level for the rest of their careers, but I know physics Ph.D.'s that have gotten into managing director level, and total comp there can be $500K+.