Physicists
Also called: Astrophysicist, Health Physicist, Research Physicist, ScientistConduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 12 of its 15 rated tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 7.2% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 0.3% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Astronomers and physicists”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.9 hires for every 10 job openings in professional and business services, which employs about 50% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.7.9 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $139,330 | $103,570 to $195,190 | 280 |
| Arizona | $130,500 | $110,430 to $197,260 | 120 |
| Arkansas | $135,820 | $110,390 to $175,050 | 60 |
| California | $207,490 | $173,450 to $222,760 | 5,930 |
| Colorado | $104,580 | $82,340 to $168,240 | 1,050 |
| Connecticut | $180,300 | $148,460 to $269,440 | 60 |
| Delaware | $82,590 | $64,570 to $210,590 | 50 |
| District of Columbia | $157,040 | $123,090 to $195,190 | 480 |
| Florida | $225,390 | $153,980 to $285,400 | 340 |
| Georgia | $144,870 | $106,870 to $240,030 | 160 |
| Hawaii | $117,190 | $98,680 to $243,740 | 40 |
| Idaho | $135,150 | $108,480 to $175,150 | not published |
| Illinois | $137,140 | $82,110 to $175,510 | 1,590 |
| Indiana | $105,940 | $96,720 to $163,320 | 230 |
| Iowa | $178,110 | $104,970 to $218,520 | 110 |
| Kentucky | $180,910 | $120,100 to $232,170 | 50 |
| Louisiana | $166,240 | $101,870 to $189,710 | 40 |
| Maine | not published | not published | 60 |
| Maryland | $174,390 | $132,560 to $195,190 | 1,200 |
| Massachusetts | $106,410 | $82,070 to $170,190 | 1,150 |
| Michigan | $94,520 | $71,580 to $199,170 | 510 |
| Minnesota | $171,220 | $152,410 to $284,820 | 110 |
| Mississippi | $129,970 | $68,220 to $160,320 | 80 |
| Missouri | $140,460 | $96,720 to $227,810 | 90 |
| Montana | $103,800 | $74,710 to $139,140 | 30 |
| Nevada | $154,030 | $107,530 to $165,110 | 50 |
| New Hampshire | $214,030 | $145,220 to $267,600 | 30 |
| New Jersey | $163,270 | $120,820 to $222,140 | 470 |
| New Mexico | $165,340 | $160,090 to $203,210 | 580 |
| New York | $181,970 | $131,600 to $221,590 | 1,140 |
| North Carolina | $174,180 | $81,370 to $209,210 | 150 |
| Ohio | $162,900 | $118,060 to $239,360 | 630 |
| Oklahoma | $200,050 | $64,510 to $233,080 | 40 |
| Oregon | $200,320 | $148,800 to $277,840 | 90 |
| Pennsylvania | $210,990 | $150,950 to $231,190 | 230 |
| Rhode Island | $155,150 | $111,240 to $187,080 | not published |
| South Carolina | $138,400 | $110,600 to $172,350 | 420 |
| South Dakota | $83,050 | $66,170 to $134,300 | 30 |
| Tennessee | $165,010 | $107,700 to $236,920 | 240 |
| Texas | $184,040 | $95,530 to $253,070 | 580 |
| Utah | $156,760 | $119,860 to $229,490 | 30 |
| Virginia | $145,040 | $112,570 to $195,190 | 940 |
| Washington | $134,790 | $110,940 to $174,630 | 450 |
| Wisconsin | $173,120 | $120,440 to $237,320 | 180 |
Nationally: $172,250. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 12 of its 15 rated tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena. | Not published |
| AI alone | Report experimental results by writing papers for scientific journals or by presenting information at scientific conferences. | Not published |
| AI alone | Perform complex calculations as part of the analysis and evaluation of data, using computers. | 0.10% |
| AI alone | Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms. | 0.01% |
| AI alone | Collaborate with other scientists in the design, development, and testing of experimental, industrial, or medical equipment, instrumentation, and procedures. | Not published |
| AI alone | Write research proposals to receive funding. | Not published |
See all 16 tasks
| Not much | Observe the structure and properties of matter, and the transformation and propagation of energy, using equipment such as masers, lasers, and telescopes, to explore and identify the basic principles governing these phenomena. | Not published |
| AI + software | Design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood. | Not published |
| Not rated | Perform peer reviews of scientific papers. | Not published |
| Not much | Teach physics to students. | Not published |
| AI + software | Develop theories and laws on the basis of observation and experiments, and apply these theories and laws to problems in areas such as nuclear energy, optics, and aerospace technology. | Not published |
| AI + software | Develop manufacturing, assembly, and fabrication processes of lasers, masers, infrared, and other light-emitting and light-sensitive devices. | Not published |
| AI + software | Conduct application evaluations and analyze results to determine commercial, industrial, scientific, medical, military, or other uses for electro-optical devices. | Not published |
| AI + software | Advise authorities of procedures to be followed in radiation incidents or hazards, and assist in civil defense planning. | Not published |
| AI alone | Conduct research pertaining to potential environmental impacts of atomic energy-related industrial development to determine licensing qualifications. | Not published |
| AI alone | Develop standards of permissible concentrations of radioisotopes in liquids and gases. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 2 of the 16 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 16 tasks fall under 20 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #15 Evaluate the characteristics, usefulness, or performance of products or technologies
- #20 Present research or technical information
- #28 Analyze scientific or applied data using mathematical principles
- and 1 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present research or technical information | |||
| Evaluate the characteristics, usefulness, or performance of products or technologies | |||
| Research biological or ecological phenomena | |||
| Develop scientific or mathematical theories or models | |||
| Analyze scientific or applied data using mathematical principles | |||
| Teach academic or vocational subjects | |||
| Assist scientists, scholars, or technical specialists with projects or research | |||
| Develop operational or technical procedures or standards |
Show all 20 activities
| Design materials or devices | |||
| Develop technical specifications for products or operations | |||
| Advise others on business or operational matters | |||
| Evaluate scholarly work | |||
| Assemble equipment or components | |||
| Analyze environmental or geospatial data | |||
| Prepare proposals or grant applications | |||
| Investigate the environmental impact of industrial or development activities | |||
| Develop safety standards, policies, or procedures | |||
| Advise others on workplace health or safety issues | |||
| Design industrial systems or equipment | |||
| Operate laboratory or field equipment |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- Math or a calculation38%
- A document or report16%
- A chart or visualization9%
- An explanation or answer9%
- A script or snippet7%
How they worked with Claude
14% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for physicists specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 1,170 moves out
- 1 Operations Research Analysts Very high +11.9% 12%
- 2 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 7%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
- 4 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 6%
- 5 Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors High +5.4% 6%
Where people moved in from
of 1,859 moves in
- 1 Operations Research Analysts Very high +11.9% 16%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 12%
- 3 Emergency Management Directors High +3.9% 5%
- 4 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 4%
- 5 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 4%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 4% bachelor's
- 8% post-master's certificate
- 49% research doctorate
- 39% post-doctoral training
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 18 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 26% bachelor's
- 26% master's
- 1% professional degree
- 47% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Astronomers and physicists” · 230 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Astronomers and physicists”
14 programs, such as Engineering Physics/Applied Physics, Astrophysics and Physics, General.
See all
- Engineering Physics/Applied Physics
- Astrophysics
- Physics, General
- Atomic/Molecular Physics
- Elementary Particle Physics
- Plasma and High-Temperature Physics
- Nuclear Physics
- Optics/Optical Sciences
- Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
- Acoustics
- Theoretical and Mathematical Physics
- Physics, Other
- Physics and Astronomy
- Health/Medical Physics
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
13.6% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 2.9% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 12.8% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/19-2012.00