JobAfterNext

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.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$100,310
Employment, U.S.13,090
Median hourly wageNot available
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$60,200$74,050$100,310$132,650$177,850
By state (47)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama170$82,7500.97
Arizona350$65,7301.29
Arkansas30$64,9000.30
California1,130$139,4200.74
Colorado280$99,2801.15
Connecticut260$112,4101.80
Delaware70$108,8101.64
District of Columbia130$85,1902.25
Florida180$74,0500.22
Georgia210$101,5800.51
Idaho50$106,0400.69
Illinois540$94,9001.05
Indiana270$102,9701.02
Iowa120$104,2700.93
Kansas110$97,1400.88
Kentucky160$80,2700.94
Louisiana90$90,0400.55
Maine60$104,2701.08
Maryland300$110,9801.29
Massachusetts680$111,2802.23
Michigan460$109,0901.23
Minnesota250$107,2401.00
Mississippi100$71,1600.97
Missouri230$99,9700.91
Montana70$98,0501.52
Nebraska70$98,4600.86
Nevada90$96,3300.71
New Hampshire40$99,0500.66
New Jersey530$98,9201.46
New Mexico70$108,8501.02
New York1,080$103,1001.32
North Carolina440$87,3701.07
North Dakota40$101,7000.98
Ohio420$96,3100.91
Oklahoma90$91,5800.62
Oregon230$104,3201.42
Pennsylvania580$98,3701.13
South Carolina150$81,2100.77
South Dakota30$86,0100.89
Tennessee340$80,6301.25
Texas1,110$97,7600.94
Utah120$99,8600.79
Vermont50$98,3901.79
Virginia610$104,4901.75
Washington310$96,9301.04
West Virginia50$98,3200.80
Wisconsin210$89,6300.85

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary50.969
2Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary50.966
3Astronomers50.966
4Physicists50.958
5Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary50.950
6Biochemists and Biophysicists50.950
7Atmospheric and Space Scientists40.948
8Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary50.948
9Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary50.948
10Hydrologists40.947

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Physics Teachers, Postsecondary, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
AstronomersMathematics1.000.966
Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryMathematics0.880.948
HydrologistsSystems Analysis0.880.947
Materials ScientistsOperations Analysis1.130.938
BiologistsProgramming2.630.926
Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryProgramming2.000.924
Electrical EngineersQuality Control Analysis1.000.921
Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, PostsecondarySocial Perceptiveness0.760.918
Geodetic SurveyorsMathematics0.880.916
Climate Change Policy AnalystsSystems Analysis0.760.916

All 11

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Physics Teachers, Postsecondary, excluding software Physics Teachers, Postsecondary already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Python13 of 204.5x
Software development tools6 of 2010.3x
SAS10 of 203.9x
Oracle Java8 of 203.7x
Laboratory information management system LIMS4 of 2010.3x
Dassault Systemes Abaqus3 of 2019.8x
Linux8 of 203.0x
Oracle Database6 of 203.2x
ESRI ArcGIS software6 of 203.0x
ESRI ArcInfo3 of 208.1x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
InstructingTransferable skill 4.25 4.38
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 4.12 5.00
SpeakingEssential skill 4.12 5.00
ScienceEssential skill 4.12 4.62
WritingEssential skill 4.00 5.00
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 4.00 4.88
Active ListeningEssential skill 4.00 4.62
Active LearningEssential skill 4.00 4.38
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 4.00 4.38
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.75 3.88
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.62 4.00
MathematicsEssential skill 3.62 4.00
MonitoringEssential skill 3.62 4.00
Time ManagementTransferable skill 3.25 3.12
CoordinationTransferable skill 3.12 3.12
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 3.12 3.12
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 3.00 3.12
PersuasionTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Service OrientationTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 2.88 3.12
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 2.62 2.75
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.50 2.50
RepairingTransferable skill 2.25 1.38
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 2.12 2.12
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 2.12 1.50
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 2.12 1.25
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 2.00 2.00
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 2.00 1.62
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 2.00 1.38
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 2.00 1.00
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.88 1.12
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.62 1.00
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 1.62 0.62
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Mathematics 4.81 6.52
Physics 4.49 5.69
Education and Training 4.38 5.46
English Language 4.20 5.20
Computers and Electronics 3.88 4.51
Chemistry 3.38 3.94
Engineering and Technology 3.29 3.96
Mechanical 2.90 3.39
Customer and Personal Service 2.83 3.11
Administrative 2.80 3.05
Design 2.73 3.22
Administration and Management 2.58 2.73
Communications and Media 2.49 2.87
Public Safety and Security 2.33 2.15
Law and Government 2.21 1.95
Biology 2.11 2.25
Telecommunications 2.10 1.74
Psychology 2.03 2.32
Personnel and Human Resources 1.99 2.17
Production and Processing 1.83 1.70
Building and Construction 1.82 1.81
Therapy and Counseling 1.82 1.61
Philosophy and Theology 1.80 2.04
History and Archeology 1.80 1.99
Sociology and Anthropology 1.68 1.49
Geography 1.66 1.48
Medicine and Dentistry 1.62 1.13
Sales and Marketing 1.57 1.16
Transportation 1.50 1.03
Economics and Accounting 1.35not rated
Foreign Language 1.20not rated
Fine Arts 1.12not rated
Food Production 1.01not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Oral Expression 4.38 5.62
Oral Comprehension 4.00 5.75
Written Expression 4.00 5.00
Written Comprehension 4.00 4.88
Speech Clarity 3.88 4.88
Deductive Reasoning 3.88 4.38
Inductive Reasoning 3.88 4.38
Mathematical Reasoning 3.88 4.00
Problem Sensitivity 3.88 3.62
Near Vision 3.62 3.88
Speech Recognition 3.62 3.50
Number Facility 3.38 3.50
Fluency of Ideas 3.25 3.75
Information Ordering 3.12 3.88
Category Flexibility 3.12 3.62
Originality 3.00 3.50
Far Vision 2.88 3.00
Memorization 2.88 2.88
Selective Attention 2.88 2.75
Visualization 2.38 2.38
Time Sharing 2.38 2.12
Perceptual Speed 2.25 2.12
Finger Dexterity 2.25 1.88
Auditory Attention 2.25 1.50
Visual Color Discrimination 2.12 2.25
Flexibility of Closure 2.12 2.12
Speed of Closure 2.12 2.12
Arm-Hand Steadiness 2.12 1.50
Manual Dexterity 2.12 1.25
Trunk Strength 2.00 1.62
Hearing Sensitivity 2.00 1.38
Depth Perception 1.88 1.12
Control Precision 1.62 0.88
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.50 0.62
Rate Control 1.50 0.50
Reaction Time 1.50 0.50
Extent Flexibility 1.25not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Dynamic Strength 1.00not rated
Explosive Strength 1.00not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Gross Body Coordination 1.00not rated
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.00not rated
Multilimb Coordination 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.00not rated
Response Orientation 1.00not rated
Sound Localization 1.00not rated
Spatial Orientation 1.00not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 1.00not rated
Stamina 1.00not rated
Static Strength 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

All 45
  • LaTeX
  • Maplesoft Maple
  • Mathsoft Mathcad
  • National Instruments LabVIEW
  • OriginLab Origin
  • PLplot
  • Pascal
  • Sakai CLE
  • Synergy Software KaleidaGraph
  • VASP Data Viewer
  • Visual Molecular Dynamics VMD
  • Web browser software
  • Wolfram Research Mathematica
  • iParadigms Turnitin
  • plotutils

Where it concentrates

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
New Haven, CT1104.47Not available
Rochester, NY1203.00$98,690
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH5102.22$128,640
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC1302.09$98,470
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT1002.07$107,080
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX2202.03$100,430
Raleigh-Cary, NC1001.58$105,560
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA1601.57$111,460
Pittsburgh, PA1501.56$91,620
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN1301.43$78,430

More metros, other thresholds