Physics Teachers, Postsecondary Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of postsecondary physics teachers to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035 (about 400 more jobs), with about 1,100 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $100,310 a year ranks 137th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +2.4%
- Openings a year
- 1,100
- Median pay
- $100,310
- Pay rank
- 137th of 825
Is employment of postsecondary physics teachers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of postsecondary physics teachers to rise 2.4% (about 400 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the +1.4% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 64 educational instruction and library occupations with a projection. That change ranks 449th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 16,400 |
| Employment, 2035 | 16,800 |
| Projected change | +2.4% |
| Openings a year | 1,100 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 16,400 jobs here differ from the 13,090 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 1,100 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 642nd most of 830 occupations. About 96% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 40 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for postsecondary physics teachers rank?
The median of $100,310 a year ranks 137th 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: doctoral or professional 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary | +1.7% | 3,900 | $79,940 |
| Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | +2.4% | 800 | $103,170 |
| Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary | +2.3% | 1,700 | $93,250 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | +7.8% | 3,900 | $109,270 |
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | +7.3% | 4,700 | $84,620 |
| Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary | +2.7% | 600 | $94,980 |
| Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary | +2.7% | 25,700 | $42,910 |
| Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary | +4.9% | 3,200 | $96,980 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.