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Physicist Pay?

My parents are pressuring me to become a surgeon but I'm not extremely keen. I mean, I rather become a surgeon more than a lawyer or business man but I still rather be a scientist, to be more particular a Theoretical Physicist. I am very interested in almost all aspects of physics and its implications.

However:

Well there is actually an advantage in being a surgeon. They make more money than physicists.....or at least I am told that by my parents.My dad is a surgeon and he always states who i spend lots of money but he thinks the job of a surgeon is not great and he is one himself but my mum who is a mathematician thinks it s basically the holy grail . As a cardiothracicc surgeon for example I can make $540,000 an year or as a lower doctor I can make at least $200,000 an year.

How much money do Physicists make yearly? To be more specific, how much do Theoretical Physicists make yearly? I heard it 80,000 pounds, but my parents told me that so they could be lying to get me in a medical profession. 80,000 pounds a year is kind of low, so I would want that.

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Original post by VNN
80,000 pounds a year is kind of low


I needed a laugh, cheers for that.

Regardless, just go with whatever you'd be happiest with, as it's a job you'll be doing for the rest of your life.
Original post by Drunk Punx
I needed a laugh, cheers for that.

Regardless, just go with whatever you'd be happiest with, as it's a job you'll be doing for the rest of your life.


I meant it in comparison to my dads/surgeons salary!

No offense intended!

Thanks!
Your info on pay of surgeons is only relevant in the US and I'm guessing by your use of pounds in your question that you live in the UK, here it's much lower and theoretical physicists get around 30-40k, really experienced senior ranking people can earn more.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 4
Original post by VNN
My parents are pressuring me to become a surgeon but I'm not extremely keen. I mean, I rather become a surgeon more than a lawyer or business man but I still rather be a scientist, to be more particular a Theoretical Physicist. I am very interested in almost all aspects of physics and its implications.

However:

Well there is actually an advantage in being a surgeon. They make more money than physicists.....or at least I am told that by my parents.My dad is a surgeon and he always states who i spend lots of money but he thinks the job of a surgeon is not great and he is one himself but my mum who is a mathematician thinks it s basically the holy grail . As a cardiothracicc surgeon for example I can make $540,000 an year or as a lower doctor I can make at least $200,000 an year.

How much money do Physicists make yearly? To be more specific, how much do Theoretical Physicists make yearly? I heard it 80,000 pounds, but my parents told me that so they could be lying to get me in a medical profession. 80,000 pounds a year is kind of low, so I would want that.



Depends entirely on where you work to be honest. But with a PhD in Theoretical Physics, if you're worried about the money then you can definitely earn a pretty penny in some areas such as quantitative finance or in companies such as IBM and Intel where you would no doubt be researching while earning nicely. 6 figures is very achievable in some fields.
(edited 7 years ago)
As a general rule, research scientists earn peanuts and only go into the field if there's literally nothing else you want to do and science is your life.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by VNN


However:

Well there is actually an advantage in being a surgeon. They make more money than physicists.....or at least I am told that by my parents.My dad is a surgeon and he always states who i spend lots of money but he thinks the job of a surgeon is not great and he is one himself but my mum who is a mathematician thinks it s basically the holy grail . As a cardiothracicc surgeon for example I can make $540,000 an year or as a lower doctor I can make at least $200,000 an year.
.


Don't do medicine just for the money you won't get on any courses because admissions tutors will be able to tell your real motivation to do it and will turn you away unless you are the second coming of Asclepius
Original post by TheBBQ
Depends entirely on where you work to be honest. But with a PhD in Theoretical Physics, if you're worried about the money then you can definitely earn a pretty penny in some areas such as quantitative finance or in companies such as IBM and Intel where you would no doubt be researching while earning nicely. 6 figures is very achievable in some fields.


Say in the companies you mentioned,Will it be research on physics and are there any Non-research related jobs for physicist?
Don't do anything for the money.
Do something you enjoy, otherwise you'll just end up getting out of bed every day, bored as hell.
Find a job that you enjoy, as long as the money wouldn't make your life very difficult (unless you're incredibly passionate), and don't let your parents decide for you.
It's your future, your job.
So it's your choice.
Original post by dancepiratedance
As a general rule, research scientists earn peanuts and only go into the field if there's literally nothing else you want to do and science is your life.


SCIENCE IS MY LIFE!!!

This make me sad...
Are the any Non-research related jobs for physicist?

Thanks.
Reply 10
Original post by VNN
Say in the companies you mentioned,Will it be research on physics and are there any Non-research related jobs for physicist?


Research on physics, chemistry, and engineering no doubt

physicists can branch off into almost anything. investment banking, programming, trading...
Original post by iwishicouldfly14
Don't do anything for the money.
Do something you enjoy, otherwise you'll just end up getting out of bed every day, bored as hell.
Find a job that you enjoy, as long as the money wouldn't make your life very difficult (unless you're incredibly passionate), and don't let your parents decide for you.
It's your future, your job.
So it's your choice.


Oh OK so is the pay for physicist good or?
Original post by VNN
SCIENCE IS MY LIFE!!!

This make me sad...
Are the any Non-research related jobs for physicist?

Thanks.


It's nice to hear you're so enthusiastic, it'll be interesting to see if you maintain that over the next few years :wink: . Also, yes of course. In the same way there's non-research jobs available for any sort of graduate there are opportunities available for physicists too. Remember that doing a physics degree opens many doors and closes none. Here's an idea of what you might get into (destination of physics graduates at Imperial College...) https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-services/careers-service/public/resources/dlhe/ug-tables/Physics-tables.pdf
Listen a physics degree is not vocational. It is what you make it. You can make bank with it if you want to. But it would mean going into finance..
Original post by VNN
Oh OK so is the pay for physicist good or?


I guess it depends.
I think it depends what you call good...
The pay seems to be okay (average UK salary is £33,500 but you can end up earning £72,000+
It's nothing like this $540,000 dollar, but I guess it also depends on which country you're working in.

But that's not the point!
The point isn't about the pay, it's about doing something you actually want to do.
When you get to the end of your life do you want to think back on how you hated every minute of it, even though you got a great pay?
Or think that you enjoyed it?

Because everyone seems to forget, but the second one matters a whole lot more.
Original post by iwishicouldfly14
I guess it depends.
I think it depends what you call good...
The pay seems to be okay (average UK salary is £33,500 but you can end up earning £72,000+
It's nothing like this $540,000 dollar, but I guess it also depends on which country you're working in.

But that's not the point!
The point isn't about the pay, it's about doing something you actually want to do.
When you get to the end of your life do you want to think back on how you hated every minute of it, even though you got a great pay?
Or think that you enjoyed it?

Because everyone seems to forget, but the second one matters a whole lot more.


Good point,Thanks!

I completely agree even if the pay is OK as you say...If say i work at CERN i will be working in a 10 Billion dollar facility of world leading and cutting edge research and this make me smile and become very happy...Is this a good approach on things?

Also how difficult is it get a job at CERN and is it sustainable as CERN is only a very very very large experiment?

Also,are there actually any rich physicist per se?(Like millionaires or billionaires from their own companies or patents of research?)

Thanks.
Original post by VNN
Good point,Thanks!

I completely agree even if the pay is OK as you say...If say i work at CERN i will be working in a 10 Billion dollar facility of world leading and cutting edge research and this make me smile and become very happy...Is this a good approach on things?

Also how difficult is it get a job at CERN and is it sustainable as CERN is only a very very very large experiment?

Also,are there actually any rich physicist per se?(Like millionaires or billionaires from their own companies or patents of research?)

Thanks.


Yep - that's the right approach.

I don't know?! Getting a job at CERN would be, as you say it, "sustainable" but probably very difficult - but I don't know! - I'm only going into Year 12 (though it would be practically a dream to get to work at CERN).
There are lots of different jobs at CERN though, go and check out their page!

There probably are rich physicists e.g. Steven Weinberg.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by iwishicouldfly14
I guess it depends.
I think it depends what you call good...
The pay seems to be okay (average UK salary is £33,500 but you can end up earning £72,000+
It's nothing like this $540,000 dollar, but I guess it also depends on which country you're working in.

But that's not the point!
The point isn't about the pay, it's about doing something you actually want to do.
When you get to the end of your life do you want to think back on how you hated every minute of it, even though you got a great pay?
Or think that you enjoyed it?

Because everyone seems to forget, but the second one matters a whole lot more.


Also,which country is best for physicist overall in terms of pay/Facilities and ETC...
Original post by VNN
80,000 pounds a year is kind of low, so I would want that.


LOOOOOOOL, nice try

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by VNN
SCIENCE IS MY LIFE!!!

This make me sad...
Are the any Non-research related jobs for physicist?

Thanks.


If it really was, you wouldn't have made this thread and you wouldn't be eyeballing what surgeons make in the US.

Posted from TSR Mobile

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