Leaving Physics PhD for Higher Pay: Options & Advice

[azaharak]

Currently a physics lecturer. I have a masters in physics, bachelors in Applied physics & math, concentration in Electrical Eng. I finished my physics Phd coursework and comprehensive exam. I ended up leaving my program because there was a saturation of students, & budget problems, not really any good research people to work with. I ended up doing some work for a hedge fund & adjunct teaching over the summers that I should have gotten TA support because there was no support for me.Anyway. I have been thinking of pursing whatever I need to do for high school teaching because my physics lecturer salary (at the college level) just isn't cutting it. ~ 50000 when you consider the two summer teaching sessions, in NY that isn't really great considering that High school teachers start out at 54000, with a masters degree and they get the summers off!.

The problem is that they make it so difficult to become a teacher if you not going through an ed program, I would essentially have to get a 2nd masters just to teach in a high school I think its completely ridiculous.

I have also been considering changing careers paths to either Engineering (structural / mechanical) or Math Actuarial. There are two exams for licensure in engineering (FE & PE). I feel like I can = get through the FE without any problems, 90% I have learned, the PE is more code & policy based. On the Actuarial side, I have taken a fair amount of probability including a graduate level course. I know there are more exams, I believe I can get through their first exam without problems.Any advice in general? I've thought of moving out of NY but all my family is here. I'm not looking to be a millionaire but it would be nice to move up in the $ chain. I have thought about finishing my PhD but I really don't have the time or $ to do it at the moment. I really regret going to the school I did, not going to name names.

I have friends without any graduate degrees complaining about their salaries and they are almost making double what I am. Its very frustrating, on one side I'm happy to have a job, on the other I feel like it doesn't pay to be a lecturer. Any advice or comments are greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Andy Resnick]

Have you investigated any special STEM programs designed to get trained science educators in the classroom? Often times, there will be waivers in regards to the Ed requirements- STEM teachers can sometimes get certified much easier.

 

[azaharak]

Thanks. I will definitely look into it again.

I'm slightly bitter from my experience with NY teaching fellows, I'm not sure if that falls under this STEM program. Two years ago I applied to the NY teaching fellows which place you through a fast track ED program. I applied in November and had my interview in January, I had already had my masters degree and almost 2 years of college teaching experience. I/We were supposed to find out if we were accepted by no later than late Feb. The acceptance deadline kept getting pushed back, March, April, June, then I got a letter in late June saying that they would have liked to accept me but that there were insufficient funds.

It was a big blow because I turned down a job with a semiconductor company because I thought I was going to be easily accepted. On top of that, the ridiculous Unions in NY rallied so that NY teaching fellows can only obtain jobs in newly built schools, and any positions that open up must go first to a non teaching fellow.

Thanks for the idea, I'm going to see if that avenue is possible.

Best

 

[kramer733]

Why don't you take a couple of financing or economics courses. Then you can play the stock market. You have physics and math under your belt too. I would assume you could predict the market better than the average person too =)

 

[The riddler]

Seeing how your saying "It doesn't pay anymore" suggests that this may have something to do with the recession and that it paid quite well at one point.

think (as Andy Resnick says) it might help to look into stem programs, but other than that i think its important for you to remeaber it could be a lot worse. For example 17,000 teachers in Greece were just sacked to save the country money.