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Nuclear Physics

Types of Degrees Nuclear Physics Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Nuclear Physics have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	1
Master’s Degree	1
Doctor’s Degree	1

What Nuclear Physics Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Nuclear Physics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Nuclear Physics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Nuclear Physics careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

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

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Processing Information	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Nuclear Physics professionals:

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

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Nuclear Physics graduates include:

• Clinical Trials Manager
• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Clinical Research Manager
• Clinical Trial Coordinator
• Clinical Research Director
• Clinical Program Coordinator
• Oncology Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Trial Manager
• Postdoctoral Fellow
• Postdoctoral Researcher
• Clinical Study Manager
• Clinical Research Coordinator
• Postdoctoral Associate
• Clinical Research Administrator

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	32.9%
Doctoral degree	23.0%
Master’s degree	14.8%
Post-doctoral training	13.4%
Postsecondary certificate	4.7%
Some college courses	3.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.9%
Post-master’s certificate	0.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Nuclear Physics?

Gender Distribution

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1	33.3%
International Students	2	66.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Nuclear Physics Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Nuclear Physics 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	$50,456
4 years	$75,002
5 years	$86,291

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $86,291 — roughly 71% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Nuclear Physics Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Nuclear Physics graduates earn a median of $75,002 four years after completion — roughly 97% 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
Physics	40.08
Acoustics	40.0809
Atomic/Molecular Physics	40.0802
Condensed Matter and Materials Physics	40.0808
Elementary Particle Physics	40.0804
Optics/Optical Sciences	40.0807
Physics, General	40.0801
Physics, Other	40.0899
Plasma and High-Temperature Physics	40.0805
Theoretical and Mathematical Physics	40.0810
Physics and Astronomy	40.1101
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Other	40.0299

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.