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Theoretical & Mathematical Physics

Types of Degrees Theoretical & Mathematical Physics Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Theoretical & Mathematical Physics have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	27
Master’s Degree	10

What Theoretical & Mathematical Physics Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Theoretical & Mathematical 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

The skill set built by a Theoretical & Mathematical 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

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Theoretical & Mathematical 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, Theoretical & Mathematical 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 Theoretical & Mathematical 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	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
StataCorp Stata	Analytical or scientific software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Theoretical & Mathematical Physics graduates include:

• Clinical Trials Manager
• Clinical Project Manager
• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Coordinator
• Postdoctoral Fellow
• Postdoctoral Associate
• Clinical Research Manager
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Clinical Data Coordinator
• Clinical Trial Coordinator
• Oncology Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Research Coordinator
• Postdoctoral Researcher
• Clinical Research Monitor
• Clinical Program Coordinator

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Theoretical & Mathematical 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 Theoretical & Mathematical Physics?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 75.7% of Theoretical & Mathematical Physics degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	9	24.3%
Men	28	75.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	22	59.5%
Asian	3	8.1%
Hispanic or Latino	1	2.7%
Black or African American	1	2.7%
Two or More Races	2	5.4%
Race Unknown	1	2.7%
International Students	7	18.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Theoretical & Mathematical Physics Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Theoretical & Mathematical 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	$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 Theoretical & Mathematical Physics Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Theoretical & Mathematical 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
Nuclear Physics	40.0806
Optics/Optical Sciences	40.0807
Physics, General	40.0801
Physics, Other	40.0899
Plasma and High-Temperature Physics	40.0805
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.