How long does it take to become a physicist?

Typically eight years or more of study. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do physicists make?

The US median is $172,250 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree to become a physicist?

Yes — a degree is the usual way in.

Where can you train to become a physicist?

833 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

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How to become a physicist

Science · SOC 19-2012

$172,250US median pay, 2025

+7.2%Projected growth, 2025–35

1,300Openings per year

DegreeUsual way in

How you get in

A degree is the usual way in.

Doctoral or professional degree
Work as a physicist

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Physics, General	CIP 40.0801	792
Engineering Physics/Applied Physics	CIP 14.1201	110
Physics, Other	CIP 40.0899	44
Astrophysics	CIP 40.0202	42
Health/Medical Physics	CIP 51.2205	31
Optics/Optical Sciences	CIP 40.0807	16
Theoretical and Mathematical Physics	CIP 40.0810	8
Acoustics	CIP 40.0809	6
Atomic/Molecular Physics	CIP 40.0802	3
Physics and Astronomy	CIP 40.1101	3
Elementary Particle Physics	CIP 40.0804	2
Condensed Matter and Materials Physics	CIP 40.0808	2
Plasma and High-Temperature Physics	CIP 40.0805	0
Nuclear Physics	CIP 40.0806	0

See the 833 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does it take to become a physicist?: Typically eight years or more of study. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do physicists make?: The US median is $172,250 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree to become a physicist?: Yes — a degree is the usual way in.
Where can you train to become a physicist?: 833 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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