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Boston Career Explorer

Educational Instruction and Library

Physics Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses pertaining to the laws of matter and energy. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Also called: Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Instructor, Physical Science Professor, Physics Instructor

Compare with my current job (Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary)
Median pay in Greater Boston
$128,640
Jobs in Greater Boston
510
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+6.3%
40 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Doctoral or professional degree

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$63,310$82,570$128,640$169,590$266,950

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  • Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as quantum mechanics, particle physics, and optics.
  • Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
  • Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure73 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 74
  • Language-model AIOE 83
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 61

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for this job is higher, but observed AI use is little or none so far. AI tools could help with grading, exams, and course materials. Explaining hard ideas like quantum mechanics and advising students in office hours stay with the teacher.

Likely to change

  • Creating and grading exams and homework
  • Preparing syllabi, handouts, and course materials

Still relies on people

  • Delivering lectures on complex physics topics
  • Advising and assisting students in office hours

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

26 programs near Boston (plus 30 graduate)

Related occupations

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