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Engineering & Applied Physics

Types of Degrees Engineering & Applied Physics Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Engineering & Applied Physics may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	21
Bachelor’s Degree	658
Master’s Degree	270
Doctor’s Degree	100

What Engineering & Applied Physics Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Engineering & Applied Physics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set developed in a Engineering & Applied Physics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Engineering & Applied Physics graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Engineering & Applied Physics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Engineering & Applied Physics graduates include:

• Petroleum Engineering Professor
• Associate Professor
• Television Engineering Teacher
• Electronic Science Teacher
• Engineering Fundamentals Instructor
• Mechanical Drawing Teacher
• Marine Engineering Professor
• Machine Design Teacher
• Adjunct Engineering Instructor
• Professor
• Plastics Engineering Teacher
• Chemical Engineering Teacher
• Research Professor
• Metallurgy Teacher
• Industrial Engineering Professor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	33.1%
Doctoral degree	26.5%
Master’s degree	11.5%
Post-doctoral training	8.5%
Post-master’s certificate	6.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.2%
Postsecondary certificate	3.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.8%
Some college courses	2.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.4%
First professional degree	1.2%
Less than a high school diploma	0.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Engineering & Applied Physics?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 75.8% of Engineering & Applied Physics degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	254	24.2%
Men	795	75.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	522	49.8%
Asian	94	9.0%
Hispanic or Latino	111	10.6%
Black or African American	43	4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.1%
Two or More Races	51	4.9%
Race Unknown	65	6.2%
International Students	161	15.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Engineering & Applied Physics Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Engineering & Applied Physics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$65,109
4 years	$75,565
5 years	$91,340

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $91,340 — roughly 40% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Engineering & Applied Physics Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Engineering & Applied Physics graduates earn a median of $75,565 four years after completion — roughly 99% 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
Engineering Physics	14.12
Architectural Engineering	14.0401
Biochemical Engineering	14.4301
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.4501
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering	14.0702
Construction Engineering	14.3301
Electrical and Computer Engineering	14.4701
Electromechanical Engineering	14.4101
Energy Systems Engineering, General	14.4801
Energy Systems Engineering, Other	14.4899
Engineering Chemistry	14.4401

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.