Physical Scientists, All Other Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of other physical scientists to grow 2.1% from 2025 to 2035 (about 600 more jobs), with about 1,400 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $122,570 a year ranks 78th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +2.1%
- Openings a year
- 1,400
- Median pay
- $122,570
- Pay rank
- 78th of 825
Is employment of other physical scientists growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of other physical scientists to rise 2.1% (about 600 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +7.6% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 48 life, physical, and social science occupations with a projection. That change ranks 476th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 26,600 |
| Employment, 2035 | 27,100 |
| Projected change | +2.1% |
| Openings a year | 1,400 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 26,600 jobs here differ from the 22,300 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 1,400 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 605th most of 830 occupations. About 96% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 60 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for other physical scientists rank?
The median of $122,570 a year ranks 78th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on pay and the lower half on openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: bachelor's degree.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | +4.4% | 11,200 | $62,280 |
| Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | +3.6% | 1,000 | $53,350 |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | +2.6% | 800 | $99,070 |
| Hydrologic Technicians | -1.3% | 400 | $64,790 |
| Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians | +2.6% | 1,400 | $73,900 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | +5.1% | 27,000 | $116,580 |
| Surveyors | +5.8% | 3,100 | $75,440 |
| Surveying and Mapping Technicians | +5.8% | 6,900 | $54,240 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.