Domnu, I'm a business attorney, and I can give you an intelligent answer. First off, if you mow 10 yards, you'll make more than if you mow only one - because you're providing more service that meets the demand of society - meaning, when you maximize your profit, you're maximizing your productivity for society. If Americans aren't productive enough, we'll have to keep importing our experts from India. So, congrats on being ambitious and motivated wanting to make $100k. Now, as to your question - I would strongly advise to NOT major in physics. Instead, major in electrical engineering. I have met a number of individuals with a PhD in EE who made over $1 million a year, and I have met EEs with a bachelors who were worth 5 million in their older age. EE is the best of the 3 computer majors (the 3 computer majors are computer science, computer engineering, and electrical engineering). In the U.S., it seems that half of the men from India and half the men from the Middle East who live here major in EE, because it's the best. I have known of physics majors who then get a masters degree in EE because they can't do much with a physics degree. I see plenty of "patent attorney" jobs for EEs, but I see none for physics majors. Physics and chemistry is too much classroom theoretical math problems on a chalk board and not enough practical how to build and produce stuff (which is what matters to society). Don't get a chemistry degree, get a chemical engineering degree, and you'll make $30,000 more per year and quickly move up the ranks of a company. Don't get a physics degree, get an EE degree. Physics majors do sometimes get hired at military facilities, such as research facilities that do the more secretive laboratory work. But usually physics majors are limited to just military facilities. EEs can work there, or work in industry in computer jobs, or with electrical companies, electronics, the medical field, etc. San Francisco (and the suburb Silicon Valley) have been known for EE for the past 40 years. Apple computer and Intel are both headquartered there. I have been around plenty of medical professionals, EEs, the other 2 computer majors, and a few chemical engineers who make well over $100,000 but I have never met a physics major who did. All of the engineering and computer majors have to take up to Calculus 4 in college (except computer science usually goes to Calc 3). All engineers and computer majors take 2 semesters of physics in college, and one semester of chemistry (except chemical engineers take several more chemistry classes). When I graduated from law school, the students who started off making over $80,000 were the ones in the top 5% of the class, and the several students with computer degrees. Plenty of the ones with a political science degree worked at two-person law firms making only $10,000 or $20,000 per year. So, 10-page papers are replaced with one-paragraph emails, paper is replaced with computers, English majors are replaced with computer majors, ovens are replaced with microwaves, and EEs are the present and the future (although you could argue that "biomedical engineering" is becoming more of the future over the next 10 years, but that's very iffy). So, I don't see job postings for chemistry or physics. What chemical engineering is to a chemistry major, that's what electrical engineering is to physics. Hope that helps. The most employable engineering majors right now are mechanical engineering and EE, but I haven't met any mechanical engineers who made over $200k. I majored in accounting, and an accountant with only an associates degree never makes more than $60k, but I've met plenty of people with just an associates degree in computers who eventually make $150k up to $1 million a year, and EE is the best computer major. Accounting was also more about keeping track and recording money than actually learning how to build and produce and make stuff (which allows you to make money). Steve Jobs (one of the founders of Apple Computers) has a high school degree, but spent his years growing up studying electrical engineering topics. Also, bill Gates just has two years of college. If I had to do it over, I would have majored in EE (but go to a college known for engineering and computers, such as University of Cincinnati). Don't go to a college that most people haven't heard of, or else you'll have a much harder time getting hired at larger companies and you might make half as much in your lifetime. Hope that helps.
