Physicists

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics In demand
Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories.

What a physicist does

Become a physicist

If you enjoy doing these activities, you might make a good physicist

  • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
  • Reading work related information.
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
  • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

Discover what you could earn in Washington

  • Average hourly rate is $57 per hour with an average salary of $117,800 per year.
  • Half of workers earn between $40 and $63 per hour.
  • Half of workers earn an annual salary between $83,900 and $131,900 per year.

Physicist job outlook

  • There are 477 workers in this occupation in Washington.
  • There are 108 openings per year in this occupation in Washington.

Growth rate by year

Education needed

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).

Programs to get you there

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