Theoretical and Mathematical Physics

Types of Degrees Theoretical and Mathematical Physics Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many theoretical & mathematical physics graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Graduate Certificate	1

What Theoretical and Mathematical Physics Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to theoretical and mathematical physics and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Theoretical and Mathematical Physics Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in theoretical and mathematical physics should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Skills for Theoretical and Mathematical Physics Majors

A major in theoretical and mathematical physics prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Abilities for Theoretical and Mathematical Physics Majors

Theoretical and Mathematical Physics majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Theoretical and Mathematical Physics Major?

People with a theoretical and mathematical physics degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860
Physicists	14.5%	$120,950
Physics Postsecondary Professors	10.2%	$90,800

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Theoretical and Mathematical Physics

Some careers associated with theoretical and mathematical physics require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to theoretical and mathematical physics have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	0.4%
Some College Courses	0.3%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	0.7%
Bachelor’s Degree	16.1%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	2.5%
Master’s Degree	22.2%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	0.2%
Doctoral Degree	39.2%
Post-Doctoral Training	18.4%

Online Theoretical and Mathematical Physics Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	0	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	0	0
Bachelor’s Degree	1	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	1	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Theoretical and Mathematical Physics

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to theoretical and mathematical physics.

Major	Number of Grads
General Physics	12,337
Other Physics	489
Optics/Optical Sciences	275
Acoustics	168
Condensed Matter & Materials Physics	10
Atomic/Molecular Physics	8
Elementary Particle Physics	3
Nuclear Physics	0

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By A. T. Service under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.