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Physics Education Major

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Physics Education

49 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
95 Master's Degrees Annually
#50 in Popularity
$73,680 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Physics Education Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many physics education graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Master’s Degree 95
Bachelor’s Degree 49
Graduate Certificate 8

What Physics Education Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, physics teacher education majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Physics Teacher Education Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in physics teacher education should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

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  • Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Skills for Physics Teacher Education Majors

physics teacher education majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

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  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Abilities for Physics Teacher Education Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a physics teacher education student include the following:

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  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Physics Education Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with physics teacher education:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Education Professors 10.3% $64,780
Physics Postsecondary Professors 10.2% $90,800
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 7.5% $60,320

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics Education?

49 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
31% Percent Women
10% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This major attracts more men than women. About 69% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of physics teacher education majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 2
Black or African American 0
Hispanic or Latino 1
White 44
International Students 0
Other Races/Ethnicities 2

How Much Do Physics Education Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $64,340 to $103,830 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to physics teacher education. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for a Physics Education Major  ( 64340 to 103830 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with physics teacher education may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for physics teacher education careers below.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s Degree 19.5%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 5.4%
Master’s Degree 21.4%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. 1.8%
Doctoral Degree 43.5%
Post-Doctoral Training 8.6%

Online Physics Education Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 139 schools offered some type of physics education program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 2 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 8 0
Bachelor’s Degree 11 0
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 41 1
Post-Master’s 5 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 2 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Physics Education Worth It?

The median salary for a physics teacher education grad is $73,680 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 85% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $675,600 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to physics teacher education.

Major Number of Grads
Physical Education Teaching & Coaching 8,121
Reading Teacher Education 6,490
Music Education 4,761
Mathematics Education 3,395
English & Language Arts Education 3,113
Other Teacher Education & Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas 2,335
Social Studies Education 1,968
Art Education 1,837
Health Education 1,801
Science Education 1,371
Agricultural Teacher Education 1,130
Biology Education 865
History Education 804
Trade & Industrial Teacher Education 715
Technology Education 575
Social Science Teacher Education 474
Technical Teacher Education 462
Spanish Education 457
School Librarian/School Library Media Specialist 370
Modern Language Education 338
Drama & Dance Education 293
Family & Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education 286
Chemistry Education 238
Computer Teacher Education 217
Business and Innovation/Entrepreneurship Teacher Education 185
Earth Science Teacher Education 169
Environmental Education 96
Speech Teacher Education 68
French Language Teacher Education 55
Driver & Safety Teacher Education 55
Health Occupations Teacher Education 48
Communication Arts and Literature Teacher Education 22
Distributive Education 11
German Language Teacher Education 8
Psychology Teacher Education 5
Latin Teacher Education 4
Geography Teacher Education 3

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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