Programs What can a bachelor's degree in physics do?

[Ilovephysics1]

What kind of jobs can a degree in physics get you?

What is the average starting salary for a physics degree?

 

[fss]

http://www.aps.org/careers/

 

[vladb]

With a bachelor's in physics you can work at positions that requires some numerical literacy (but otherwise not much competence). Like a lower level analyst or risk engineer. Also, I used to have a programming job while doing (and some time after completing) my bachelor's in physics, but that's assuming one can program.

I might be wrong about this, but I'm fairly convinced that you cannot have a physics related job with just a bachelor's degree.

 

[MissSilvy]

Vladb is correct. You can be a high school teacher of physics with a bachelors but if you want to do physics research or do some sort of engineering for a company, you need a higher-level degree. Unlike engineers, physics majors don't train for a specific job during their undergrad. Consider a physics B.S. a sort of 'liberal science' degree that gives you enough math and science to go on to related fields (physics, engineering, computer science, what-have-you) but you need more training to truly be ready to use it in a job.

 

[deRham]

sort of 'liberal science' degree

That's a nice way of putting it - never thought of it. I think this is very true. Which also means it can be a very nice complement to a more applied discipline if one wishes to avoid grad school either for some time or just not bother with it at all.

 

[ModusPwnd]

"What kind of jobs can a degree in physics get you?"

None, its the marketable skills and ability that you acquire while pursuing your degree that get you a job. The marketable skills and ability that one get while pursuing a degree varies quite a bit and is a function of both the school and the person. Some leave with a BS in physics and have to wait tables, some can teach in school, some can do various forms of engineering and some can continue their education and do research.

If a job is important to you, then consider what marketable skills you should be fostering.