Physics Teachers
O*NET title: Physics Teachers, Postsecondary
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 called: Acoustics Teacher, Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Physics Instructor, Adjunct Physics Professor, Adjunct Professor, Aerodynamics Professor
Median pay
$100,310
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$60,200 – $177,850
People employed
13,090
Holland code
SIR
Social · Investigative · Realistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 2.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
- 3.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Physics Teachers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (46 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What physics teachers do
- 01Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
- 02Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- 03Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- 04Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as quantum mechanics, particle physics, and optics.
- 05Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
- 06Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
Skills that matter most
- Science
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Achievement Orientation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- On-the-job training: none or short demonstration.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from physics teachers
- Astronomers78% · +28%
- Physicists76% · +72%
- Mathematicians75% · +26%
- Biochemists and Biophysicists74% · +27%
- Geneticists68% · group pay
Change into physics teachers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Astronomers76% · $128,820
- Mathematicians69% · $126,710
- Audiologists62% · $95,780
- Physical Therapists62% · $102,760
- Physicists60% · $172,250
Majors that lead here
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- Physics Teacher Education
- Astronomy and Astrophysics, Other
- Chemical Physics
- Physics, General
- Atomic/Molecular Physics
- Elementary Particle Physics
- Plasma and High-Temperature Physics
- Nuclear Physics
- Optics/Optical Sciences
- Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
- Acoustics
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.