Career Overview
Teach courses pertaining to the laws of matter and energy. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Also Known As
- Instructor
- Physics Instructor
- Physics Professor
- Professor
Alternate Job Titles
- Acoustics Teacher
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adjunct Physics Instructor
- Adjunct Physics Professor
- Adjunct Professor
- Aerodynamics Professor
- Aerodynamics Teacher
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- Astrophysics Professor
- Astrophysics Teacher
- Atomic Physics Professor
- Atomic Physics Teacher
- Ballistics Professor
- Ballistics Teacher
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as quantum mechanics, particle physics, and optics.
- Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Review articles to determine their suitability for publication.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Instructing
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Science
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Judgment and Decision Making
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Speech Clarity
- Problem Sensitivity
- Speech Recognition
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Dependability
- Achievement Orientation
- Integrity
- Innovation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
- Recognition
- Independence
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Doctoral Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: None or short demonstration
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- C
- C++
- Google Docs
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Analytical ultracentrifuges
- Carousel slide projectors
- Circular dichroism CD spectrometers
- Compact digital cameras
- Compact disk CD players
- Computer data input scanners
- Computer laser printers
- Concave mirrors
- Conference telephones
- Convex mirrors
- Desktop computers
- Digital calculators
- Digital video cameras
- Digital video disk DVD players
- Far infrared FIR lasers
Work Environment
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $54,880 |
| Median | $97,360 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $169,740 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 13,590
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $79,350
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $101,390
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $86,220
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $106,120
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $83,460
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.