Programs PhD or Job Offer: Weighing the Pros and Cons for Recent Physics Graduates

[Stickey]

So, I've just graduated with an MPhys in the UK, with a decent 2:1. I have a funded [minimum EPSRC stipend, £13.5k] PhD position at my current university, that starts in October.

I also have a job offer in the US, to work in software. The pay is (what I would consider) pretty decent, $130k [£80k] a year.

Right now, I am swaying towards taking the PhD, because I'm worried that if the job falls through in 6-12 months time (they don't like me, or I don't like them), I'll be stuck with no job or education.

How likely is it that I would be able to get a PhD position again, either in 12 months, 2 years, 3 years? Are they going to prefer the physicists who have just come out of a masters, or will my experience count for something?

 

[physiker_192]

A friend of mine finished his MSc in electrical engineering, he got a phd offer, but ahead of signing the contract he got an offer for a permanent position in some company, he ditched the phd offer and went for the job.

In his field, its always possible to go for a phd after some years.
This should also be possible in your case, but I doubt it would be the same prof or the same topic.

The way I would personally look at it is first by determining what I would like to do, to remain in the academia or to quit the academia and join the world of better pay.

I do find it rather tempting to go for a job than phd (I'm currently doing my MSc, sometime soon I would have to start my thesis, so my dilemma is to do an external industrial thesis or do a normal thesis at the uni).

 

[Norman]

So, I've just graduated with an MPhys in the UK, with a decent 2:1. I have a funded [minimum EPSRC stipend, £13.5k] PhD position at my current university, that starts in October.

I also have a job offer in the US, to work in software. The pay is (what I would consider) pretty decent, $130k [£80k] a year.

Right now, I am swaying towards taking the PhD, because I'm worried that if the job falls through in 6-12 months time (they don't like me, or I don't like them), I'll be stuck with no job or education.

How likely is it that I would be able to get a PhD position again, either in 12 months, 2 years, 3 years? Are they going to prefer the physicists who have just come out of a masters, or will my experience count for something?

So, you have a job offer paying $130k and are worried about not finding another job and having "no education"? Wow!

Seems like if you were able to get a job offer for that sort of price tag, you are unlikely to have a problem finding a decent job in the future (though maybe not one with that sort of price tag). I am very unfamiliar with the UK, but in the US you will probably lose some competitiveness for a PhD program since you will have been out of physics for a little while (let's assume you give it a year). But your experience will likely serve you in research somehow.

In general, I think it is hard to make any generalizations about admissions. Especially about grad school admissions since part of it depends on who else has applied - something you cannot control.

 

[daveb]

Can you take a leave of absence from your school? Many universities inthe US allow for such a provision.

 

[Stengah]

130k is more than pretty decent, it's incredible. I've never even heard of anyone making that much straight out of college. If you got offered that I don't think you will ever have employment problems, and you must already have a damn good education.

 

[administrater]

hi. 130k is a great salary to start with, though education should be your number one priority. It it your life's weapon, in case anything goes wrong with this world's uncertainties. But I wouldn't hesitate to take that offer, you never know when another one is going to knock again.

 

[ahsanxr]

How did you manage to get a 130k job offer after an MPhys?

 

[kramer733]

This is such a fake thread or bragging rights. 130k? Dude take the dam job! What's wrong with you? It's like saying I'm leaning towards getting paid almost nothing for a **** ton of work but the other option is i could be doing less work and earn 10x more than that. I'd slap you if you made the wrong decision.

 

[The_shadow]

What course and/or university did you graduate from??