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Higher Education
Harvard University, MIT, Stanford University
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary
Physics teachers at the college level spend their time explaining hard ideas, running labs, grading work, advising students, and often keeping a research program alive on the side. The job is distinct because it mixes classroom teaching with lab supervision and publication pressure, so success means balancing student support with your own scholarship. That tradeoff can be rewarding, but it also means the role is demanding and usually requires years of graduate training.
Also known as Physics InstructorPhysics LecturerPhysics ProfessorAssistant Professor of PhysicsAdjunct Physics Faculty
Median Salary
$97,360
Mean $105,460
U.S. Workforce
~14K
1.3K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+2.5%
17.1K to 17.5K
Entry Education
Doctoral or professional degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary sits in the Education category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~14K workers, with a median annual pay of $97,360 and roughly 1.3K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 17.1 K in 2024 to 17.5K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Doctoral degree in physics or a closely related field, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Graduate Teaching Assistant and can progress toward Department Chair / Full Professor. High-value skills usually include Physics Theory, Experiment Design & Data Analysis, MATLAB, Python & Scientific Computing, and Lab Equipment, Sensors & Safety Procedures, paired with soft skills such as Explaining complex ideas clearly, Public speaking, and Active listening.
Core Responsibilities
- Teach physics courses through lectures, demonstrations, and lab sessions.
- Write quizzes and exams, then grade student work and keep records up to date.
- Supervise laboratory experiments, check equipment, and make sure safety rules are followed.
- Meet with students to help them choose classes, plan careers, and solve academic problems.
Keep exploring: more Education careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Teach physics courses through lectures, demonstrations, and lab sessions.
02 Write quizzes and exams, then grade student work and keep records up to date.
03 Supervise laboratory experiments, check equipment, and make sure safety rules are followed.
04 Meet with students to help them choose classes, plan careers, and solve academic problems.
05 Help with recruiting, registration, and student placement activities for the department.
06 Work with other faculty on research, serve on committees, and publish findings in journals or books.
Industries That Hire
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Community Colleges
Miami Dade College, Houston Community College, Community College of Philadelphia
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Research Universities
UC Berkeley, Caltech, University of Chicago
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Online Learning and EdTech
Western Governors University, Coursera, 2U
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Government Research Labs
NASA, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The pay is strong for education work, with a median annual salary of $97,360 and a mean of $105,460.
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BLS lists no required work experience and no on-the-job training, so the main barrier is advanced schooling rather than a formal apprenticeship.
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The job combines teaching, labs, advising, and research, which makes the work varied instead of repetitive.
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The field is relatively steady, with 1.3K average annual openings expected even though total employment is only about 13,590 workers now.
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A doctorate can lead to tenure-track advancement, curriculum leadership, and research opportunities that are not available in many other teaching jobs.
Challenges
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The entry requirement is steep: the typical starting credential is a doctoral or professional degree, and 53.82% of workers have a doctorate.
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Growth is weak, at just 2.5% from 2024 to 2034, with employment rising only from 17.1K to 17.5K.
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There are only about 1.3K annual openings nationwide, so competition for full-time posts can be intense.
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Many roles come with committee work, student advising, recruitment, and publication pressure on top of teaching, which can stretch the work beyond normal class time.
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The occupation has a clear structural ceiling in many institutions: adjunct and contingent jobs often pay far less than the $97,360 median and may not offer stable advancement.
Career Progression
Graduate Teaching Assistant
0-2 years
$34K-$52K
Usually a doctoral student helping with labs, discussion sections, grading, and office hours while finishing advanced study.
Adjunct Physics Instructor
1-5 years
$53K-$76K
Teaches one or more classes, often with limited benefits and heavy prep work, and may bounce between campuses or semesters.
Postsecondary Physics Teacher THIS ROLE
4-9 years
$88K-$115K
Handles core teaching, lab supervision, student advising, and sometimes research, which is the stage that matches this occupation.
Senior Lecturer / Associate Professor
8-15 years
$116K-$147K
Takes on more advanced courses, curriculum work, mentoring, and departmental responsibility, often with a stronger research record.
Department Chair / Full Professor
15+ years
$148K-$190K
Leads programs, hiring, and policy decisions while still teaching, advising, and publishing at a high level.
Education Paths
Doctoral degree in physics or a closely related field
The most common entry point, held by 53.82% of workers in this role.
Master's degree in physics or applied physics
A meaningful alternative path, used by 25.03% of workers in the occupation.
Post-doctoral training after a PhD
Often used to build research experience and teach college courses, and it appears for 20.74% of workers.
Post-master's certificate or teaching-focused credential
A rare route at 0.41%, usually paired with strong subject expertise and prior graduate study.
Key Skills
Technical
Physics Theory, Experiment Design & Data Analysis 84%
MATLAB, Python & Scientific Computing 82%
Lab Equipment, Sensors & Safety Procedures 82%
Academic Research, Citation Managers & Publishing Workflows 80%
Canvas, Blackboard & Learning Management Systems 80%
Soft Skills
Explaining complex ideas clearlyPublic speakingActive listeningCritical thinkingCuriosity and continuous learningMentoring and patience Job Outlook and Trends
+2.5%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
1.3K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 17.1K to 17.5 K over the next decade, representing 2.5% growth. Around 1.3 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Limited. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.