Overview
The FSU Department of Physics has consistently been rated as one of the best in the southeastern United States. With internationally prominent faculty in astrophysics, atomic physics, condensed matter physics, high-energy physics and nuclear physics, and undergraduate research opportunities in all of these fields, the department is the ideal place to learn and achieve.
Undergraduates can participate in all activities of the physics department. The FSU chapter of the Society of Physics Students provides an opportunity for majors in the department to build a community outside the classroom.
Undergraduate Degree Programs
A bachelor's degree in physics opens a wide range of career opportunities. One is to pursue graduate study in physics, astronomy, or a related field, and many FSU Bachelor of Science graduates succeed in strong graduate programs and continue on to outstanding scientific careers. However, the American Institute of Physics reports that there are many excellent career opportunities for students without a graduate degree. Seventy-five percent of graduates with a bachelor's degree in physics work in science-related jobs, including software, engineering, secondary education and technical fields. About 25 percent are employed in software jobs.
One of the strengths of the undergraduate program at FSU is the involvement of our students in research. Any physics major who wants a research opportunity will find one.
Physics Bachelor's Degree Outcomes
Salaries
The average salary for an FSU physics bachelor's degree graduate is $106,000, according to Florida State University's Office of Institutional Research as of Fall 2024.
Employment
Approximately 48 percent of the nation's physics bachelor's degree graduates from 2022-2024 were employed a year after graduation, with more than half employed in the private sector and the others in government and education, according to the American Institute of Physics.
Education
Among the 45 percent of 2022-2024 physics bachelor's degree graduates attending graduate or professional school a year after graduation, two-thirds were studying physics or astronomy while many others were working toward graduate degrees in engineering.