Physical Sciences

Contains Stem Majors

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Total Degrees
Awarded in 2022

49,473

declining 1.66%

Average Wage

$125,510

growing 7.15%

People in Workforce

1.18M

growing 2.09%

Average Employee Age

44.6

declining 0.491%

Institutions

Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Physical Sciences and the types of students that study this field.

The most common sector, by number of institutions, that offers Physical Sciences programs are Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above institutions (695 total). N/A

Growth in Awarded Degrees

Counties with the Fastest Growing Number of Degrees Awarded

This map shows the counties in the United States colored by the highest growth in degrees awarded for Physical Sciences.

Employment

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Physical Sciences graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.

The average salary for Physical Sciences majors is $125,510 and the most common occupations are Postsecondary teachers, Physicians, and Other Physical Scientists.

The industry that employs the most Physical Sciences majors is Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges, though the highest paying industry, by average wage, is Offices of physicians.

Yearly Income for Common Jobs

$125,510

Average Wage in Workforce

± $2,865

7.15%

1 Year Growth

± 3.02%

The average salary for Physical Sciences majors is $125,510 and the most common occupations are Postsecondary teachers, Physicians, and Other Physical Scientists.

This chart shows the average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Physical Sciences majors.

Highest Paying Locations

Highest Paying Pumas

This map shows the public use micro areas (PUMAs) in the United States colored by the average salary of Physical Sciences majors.

Note that the census collects information tied to where people live, not where they work. It is possible that Physical Sciences majors live and work in the same place, but it is also possible that they live and work in two different places.

Occupations by Share

1.18M

2022 Workforce

± 26,545

2.09%

1 Year Growth

± 3.14%

The number of Physical Sciences graduates in the workforce has been growing at a rate of 2.09%, from 1.15M in 2021 to 1.18M in 2022.

The largest single share of Physical Sciences graduates go on to work as Postsecondary teachers (7.75%). This chart shows the various jobs filled by those with a major in Physical Sciences by share of the total number of graduates.

Most Common

The most common industries that employ Physical Sciences majors, by number of employees, are Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges, General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals, and Elementary & secondary schools.

Highest Paid

The highest paying industries of Physical Sciences majors, by average wage, are Offices of physicians, Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals, and Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments.

Industries by Share

1.18M

2022 Workforce

± 26,545

2.09%

1 Year Growth

± 3.14%

The number of Physical Sciences graduates in the workforce has been growing at a rate of 2.09%, from 1.15M in 2021 to 1.18M in 2022.

The industry which employs the most Physical Sciences graduates by share is Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges, followed by General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals. This visualization shows the industries that hire those who major in Physical Sciences.

Specialty Locations

PUMAS with a relatively high number of Physical Sciences majors

This map shows the public use micro areas (PUMAs) in the United States where there are a relatively high population of Physical Sciences majors.

Diversity

Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Physical Sciences in the United States.

The average age of a person in the workforce with a degree in Physical Sciences is 44.6.

N/A

Workforce Age

44.6

Average Age in 2022

± 0.316 Years

0.491%

1 Year Change

± 1.01%

This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Physical Sciences. The most common ages of employees with this major are 32 and 30 years old, which represent 2.66% and 2.65% of the population, respectively.

Workforce Degrees

The most common degree types held by the working population in Physical Sciences are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Doctorate degree.

Global Diversity

Most Common Countries of Origin

India
56,647 degree recipients
China
54,690 degree recipients
Korea
12,244 degree recipients

High Relative Number of Students

Sri Lanka
4.93 times more than expected
China
3.81 times more than expected
USSR
3.75 times more than expected

There are a relatively high number of people that were born in Sri Lanka that hold Physical Sciences degrees (4.93 times more than expected), and the most common country of origin by total numbers for non-US students earning a degree in this field is India (56,647 degree recipients).

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