Physics Doctorates One Year after Degree: Data from the Follow-Up Survey of Degree Recipients from the Classes of 2011 and 2012. Focus On

Each fall the American Institute of Physics (AIP) Statistical Research Center conducts its Survey of Enrollments and Degrees, which asks all degree-granting physics and astronomy departments in the U.S. to provide information concerning the number of students they have enrolled and the counts of recent degree recipients. In connection with this survey, they ask for the names and contact information for their recent degree recipients. This degree recipient information is used to conduct their follow-up survey in the winter following the academic year in which they received their degrees. The data in this "Focus On" comes from that follow-up survey. The last few years have demonstrated a relatively stable job market for physics PhDs. Although the proportion of new PhDs accepting postdocs and potentially permanent positions have experienced some recent annual fluctuations, the overall trend in types of positions new PhDs accepted has changed very little in the last seven years.