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Physics Education

A program that prepares individuals to teach physics programs at various educational levels.

Types of Degrees Physics Education Majors Are Earning

Those studying Physics Education have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	42
Master’s Degree	72

What Physics Education Majors Need to Know

Studies in Physics Education build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Physics Education graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Physics Education emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Education and Training — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.6 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Physics Education program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Learning Strategies — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Physics Education careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Physics Education graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Training and Teaching Others	4.7 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	4.2 / 7
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Physics Education professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Blackboard software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Desmos	Analytical or scientific software	—
Geogebra	Analytical or scientific software	—
Desire2Learn LMS software	Computer based training software	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
Learning management system LMS	Computer based training software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Physics Education graduates include:

• Educator
• Associate Professor
• Instructor
• Professor
• College Professor
• Assistant Professor
• Lecturer
• Adjunct Instructor
• Science Education Professor
• Tenure-Track Professor
• Education Instructor
• Secondary Education Professor
• Adult Basic Education Instructor
• Visual Education Teacher
• Counselor Education Professor

What Can You Do With a Physics Education Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Physics Education commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Education Teachers, Postsecondary	2.4%	$98,329	$80,157–$116,500
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary	14.3%	$80,685	$67,825–$93,545

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Physics Education graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	62.5%
Bachelor’s degree	18.9%
Master’s degree	10.4%
Post-doctoral training	3.3%
Post-master’s certificate	2.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.9%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.0%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Physics Education?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 71.1% of Physics Education degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	33	28.9%
Men	81	71.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Physics Education graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	85	74.6%
Asian	8	7.0%
Hispanic or Latino	8	7.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native	2	1.8%
Two or More Races	2	1.8%
Race Unknown	7	6.1%
International Students	2	1.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Physics Education Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Physics Education graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$49,919
4 years	$50,204
5 years	$56,331

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $56,331 — roughly 13% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Physics Education Programs

Online study is tracked by IPEDS for Physics Education. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	1	3
Master’s	5	4

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Physics Education Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Physics Education graduates earn a median of $50,204 four years after completion — roughly 32% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	39,881
Secondary Education and Teaching	10,594
Teacher Education, Multiple Levels	8,732
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching	6,964
Reading Teacher Education	5,986
Music Teacher Education	4,544
English/Language Arts Teacher Education	3,018
Mathematics Teacher Education	2,993
Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching	2,976
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other	2,352
Social Studies Teacher Education	1,963
Art Teacher Education	1,860

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.