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Physics Education

Types of Degrees Physics Education Majors Are Earning

People majoring in 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

This major prepares you for careers needing 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

The skill set emphasized by 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

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 Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 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 PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Blackboard software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Geogebra	Analytical or scientific software	—
Desmos	Analytical or scientific software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—
Learning management system LMS	Computer based training software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Physics Education graduates include:

• Educator
• Instructor
• Lecturer
• Adjunct Instructor
• Associate Professor
• Professor
• College Professor
• Assistant Professor
• Tenure-Track Professor
• Education Instructor
• Adjunct Education Professor
• Education Adjunct Professor
• Continuing Education Instructor
• Adult Basic Education Instructor
• Music Education Professor

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?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Physics Education graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise 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 reported 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?

Looking purely at 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	CIP Code
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	13.13
Agricultural Teacher Education	13.1301
Art Teacher Education	13.1302
Biology Teacher Education	13.1322
Business and Innovation/Entrepreneurship Teacher Education	13.1303
Chemistry Teacher Education	13.1323
Communication Arts and Literature Teacher Education	13.1339
Computer Teacher Education	13.1321
Drama and Dance Teacher Education	13.1324
Driver and Safety Teacher Education	13.1304
Earth Science Teacher Education	13.1337
English/Language Arts Teacher Education	13.1305

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.