Physicists vs Physics Teachers, Postsecondary
Side-by-side · O*NET · BLS · AI-exposure research · Anthropic Economic Index
A factual, source-backed comparison of Physicists and Physics Teachers, Postsecondary on the dimensions both occupations carry. Every figure is a position within an independent published dataset — not a verdict on which job is better, safer, or more “future-proof.”
At a glance
| Dimension | Physicists | Physics Teachers, Postsecondary |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $166,290 | $97,360 |
| Employment | 21,340 | 13,590 |
| Employment outlook (2024–34) · BLS projection | About average (+4.0%) | About average (+2.5%) |
| Annual openings · BLS projection | 1,700 | 1,300 |
| Typical education · O*NET | 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). | 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). |
| AI exposure · published exposure studies | High · 76th pct | High · 89th pct |
| Global GenAI gradient · ILO ISCO-08 · via crosswalk | 73rd pct · 38% of tasks | 70th pct · 37% of tasks |
| Observed AI use · Anthropic Economic Index | Automation-leaning (57.2%) | Augmentation-leaning (65.9%) |
| Mostly remote-capable · Dingel–Neiman | Yes | Yes |
Pay and employment are BLS OEWS estimates; outlook and openings are BLS 2024–2034 projections; AI exposure and observed-use figures come from separate research and reflect exposure and usage, not predictions that either job will disappear. Compare like with like.
Skills
Shared: Physics, Mathematics, Mathematical Reasoning, Science, Engineering and Technology, Computers and Electronics, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, Written Comprehension, Number Facility, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression, Fluency of Ideas, Deductive Reasoning, Inductive Reasoning, Active Listening, Writing, Active Learning, Written Expression, Problem Sensitivity, Information Ordering, Learning Strategies, Complex Problem Solving, Category Flexibility, Near Vision, Speech Recognition, Speech Clarity, Judgment and Decision Making, English Language, Instructing, Education and Training.
Specific to Physicists
- Originality
- Visualization
- Programming
- Systems Analysis
- Systems Evaluation
- Speed of Closure
- Flexibility of Closure
Specific to Physics Teachers, Postsecondary
- Monitoring
- Chemistry
- Time Management
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Persuasion
- Service Orientation
Knowledge, skills & abilities O*NET rates as important for each occupation. “Shared” are common to both; the columns list what is distinctive to each (top by the order O*NET surfaces).
Tools & technology
Shared: Development environment software , Object or component oriented development software , Computer aided design CAD software , Operating system software , Spreadsheet software , Office suite software , Presentation software , Word processing software , Analytical or scientific software .
Specific to Physicists
Specific to Physics Teachers, Postsecondary
Full profiles
This page is a summary. See the complete source-backed profile for Physicists or Physics Teachers, Postsecondary — tasks, the full skill graph, tools, work context, preparation, wages by percentile, industries, AI exposure and the AI work map.
More comparisons
Related occupations you can place side by side on the same sourced scale.
- Physicists vs Mathematicians
- Physicists vs Astronomers
- Physicists vs Data Scientists
- Physicists vs Biochemists and Biophysicists
- Physicists vs Chemists
- Physicists vs Nanosystems Engineers
- Physicists vs Materials Scientists
- Physicists vs Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Singulariki. "Physicists vs Physics Teachers, Postsecondary." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/compare/physicists-vs-physics-teachers-postsecondary
Singulariki. (2026). Physicists vs Physics Teachers, Postsecondary. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/compare/physicists-vs-physics-teachers-postsecondary
@misc{singulariki-physicists-vs-physics-teachers-postsecondary,
title = {Physicists vs Physics Teachers, Postsecondary},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/compare/physicists-vs-physics-teachers-postsecondary}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.