Programs What Career Paths Can You Pursue with a B.S. in Physics?

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A B.S. in Physics opens up a wide array of career opportunities beyond traditional roles in laboratories. Graduates can pursue careers in various engineering fields, including nuclear and electrical engineering, where their analytical skills are highly applicable. Additionally, many physicists find roles in financial analysis, leveraging their understanding of complex mathematical models that parallel those used in physical systems. The discussion highlights that only about 4% of physics graduates work directly in physics-related positions, indicating a significant presence in diverse industries, including electronics and even aerospace design for nuclear rockets. Overall, the versatility of a physics degree allows for a broad spectrum of professional paths.
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Let's say it's 2011 and I've earned a B.S. in Physics. What are the many proffessios I could choose with my degree?

We all know that pysicists sit in a lab but what are the many other things that they do? One thing is that they can go into fields unrelated to physics. Couldn't you get a job in Electronics? Or say work in nuclear power or even help in the designing phase of nuclear rockets?

What a re some typical fields, not so typical fields, and fields that are seemingly unrelated?
 
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Only about 4% of people with a BS in physics ever actually work in the physics field. (I should also mention that "sitting in a lab" is really not a good way to characterize what professional physicists do.)

The vast majority do either some kind of engineering work (both nuclear and electrical engineering should be well within your professional grasp), or some kind of financial analysis. (As it turns out, many financial systems are modeled by the same kinds of mathematical structures used in physical systems.)

- Warren
 
After a year of thought, I decided to adjust my ratio for applying the US/EU(+UK) schools. I mostly focused on the US schools before, but things are getting complex and I found out that Europe is also a good place to study. I found some institutes that have professors with similar interests. But gaining the information is much harder than US schools (like you have to contact professors in advance etc). For your information, I have B.S. in engineering (low GPA: 3.2/4.0) in Asia - one SCI...
I graduated with a BSc in Physics in 2020. Since there were limited opportunities in my country (mostly teaching), I decided to improve my programming skills and began working in IT, first as a software engineer and later as a quality assurance engineer, where I’ve now spent about 3 years. While this career path has provided financial stability, I’ve realized that my excitement and passion aren’t really there, unlike what I felt when studying or doing research in physics. Working in IT...
Hello, I’m an undergraduate student pursuing degrees in both computer science and physics. I was wondering if anyone here has graduated with these degrees and applied to a physics graduate program. I’m curious about how graduate programs evaluated your applications. In addition, if I’m interested in doing research in quantum fields related to materials or computational physics, what kinds of undergraduate research experiences would be most valuable?

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