Physics major
Physics: courses, careers, and where to study
Physics studies the fundamental laws of matter, energy, and motion, a foundational major for engineering, computing, finance, and graduate research.
A Physics major covers classical mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, modern physics (relativity), and laboratory methods. Math is heavy, calculus through differential equations, linear algebra, and often complex analysis. BS-track programs prepare for graduate school in physics or engineering; BA tracks suit pre-med or interdisciplinary applications.
Physics graduates are highly sought-after for their analytical and quantitative skills. Career paths include physics PhD (academia or national labs), engineering (hardware, optics, semiconductors), quantitative finance, software engineering, and patent law.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Physics maps to CIP 40.0801, Physics, General, within the PHYSICAL SCIENCES family. The official definition:
A general program that focuses on the scientific study of matter and energy, and the formulation and testing of the laws governing the behavior of the matter-energy continuum. Includes instruction in classical and modern physics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, mechanics, wave properties, nuclear processes, relativity and quantum theory, quantitative methods, and laboratory methods.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Physics is awarded as
Of the 12,782 Physics credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate<1%35
- Associate11%1,439
- Bachelor's55%7,060
- Graduate33%4,248
This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 42 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 0 percentage points between the 10th and 90th percentile state, so the credential is more a property of the field than of where you study it. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2023-24, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Classical mechanics
- Electromagnetism
- Quantum mechanics
- Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics
- Modern physics (relativity, atomic, nuclear)
- Mathematical methods (PDE, complex analysis)
- Computational physics (Python, MATLAB)
- Senior research thesis
Typical careers
- Physicist (PhD)
- Engineer (with engineering MS)
- Software Engineer
- Quantitative Analyst
- Optical / Semiconductor Engineer
- High School Physics Teacher (with cert)
Typical salary range: $58,000–$85,000 early-career (BLS, 2024 physicists median $166,290, requires PhD)Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Physics, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $64,580 | 66,200 | -1.6% | Bachelor's degree |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $161,180 | 8,500 | +3.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Physicists | $166,290 | 1,700 | +4% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Physics Teachers, Postsecondary | $97,360 | 1,300 | +2.5% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 4 of these 4 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Physics does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Physics major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Physics program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Physics department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Physics program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Physics credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- University of California-Santa BarbaraCA · 213
- University of California-BerkeleyCA · 174
- University of ArizonaAZ · 166
- University of Washington-Seattle CampusWA · 166
- New York UniversityNY · 157
- University of Colorado BoulderCO · 152
- University of California-Los AngelesCA · 150
- The University of Texas at AustinTX · 133
- University of Wisconsin-MadisonWI · 128
- Johns Hopkins UniversityMD · 121
- Ohio State University-Main CampusOH · 120
- University of ChicagoIL · 120
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Physics credentials were awarded
18 states have a distinct enough set of Physics colleges to be worth its own page.
Related majors
Mathematics
Mathematics develops formal proof, abstraction, and quantitative analysis, feeding into research, finance, computing, actuarial science, and graduate programs across STEM.
Engineering
Engineering majors apply math, physics, and design to build the physical and digital systems that power society, from bridges and chips to medical devices and aircraft.
Computer Science
Computer Science combines the mathematical foundations of computation with practical software engineering, preparing graduates for careers in software, AI/ML, security, data, and research.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Physics degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Education & Library careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Management careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Physics degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Physics path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.