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Physical Sciences

Types of Degrees Physical Sciences Majors Are Earning

Those studying Physical Sciences can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	27
Associate’s Degree	4,944
Bachelor’s Degree	27,177
Master’s Degree	8,014
Doctor’s Degree	6,497

What Physical Sciences Majors Need to Know

Programs in Physical Sciences develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Physical Sciences graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Physical Sciences emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills developed in a Physical Sciences program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Physical Sciences graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Physical Sciences professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Physical Sciences graduates include:

• Clinical Trials Manager
• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Assistant Professor
• Associate Professor
• Instructor
• Lecturer
• Adjunct Instructor
• Clinical Data Coordinator
• Clinical Program Manager
• Postdoctoral Researcher
• Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator
• Clinical Program Coordinator
• Postdoctoral Associate
• Postdoctoral Fellow

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	34.6%
Master’s degree	20.0%
Doctoral degree	15.9%
Post-doctoral training	11.0%
Postsecondary certificate	4.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.8%
Some college courses	3.6%
High school diploma or equivalent	3.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.2%
Post-master’s certificate	1.4%
Less than a high school diploma	0.1%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Physical Sciences?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 43.6% women and 56.4% men among Physical Sciences graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	20,364	43.6%
Men	26,295	56.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Physical Sciences graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	23,554	50.5%
Asian	4,640	9.9%
Hispanic or Latino	6,280	13.5%
Black or African American	2,010	4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	141	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	33	0.1%
Two or More Races	2,011	4.3%
Race Unknown	1,187	2.5%
International Students	6,803	14.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Physical Sciences Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Physical Sciences 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	$45,708
4 years	$59,238
5 years	$69,027

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $69,027 — roughly 51% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Physical Sciences Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for Physical Sciences. 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
Associate’s	36	49
Bachelor’s	17	45
Master’s	24	41
Doctoral (Research)	3	14

^{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 Physical Sciences Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Physical Sciences graduates earn a median of $59,238 four years after completion — roughly 56% 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.}

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.