Headline risk
2%
Very Low RiskPhysicists
AI displacement pressure score for United States AI Work Index, combining global AI task overlap with local wages, employment trends, and demand signals.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 26% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 166,290
Employment 2024
24.6K
Projected Change (2024–34)
4.0%
Openings (2024–34)
1.7K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Overall employment of physicists and astronomers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Perform complex calculations as part of the analysis and evaluation of data, using computers. AI use: 98%
- 2. Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms. AI use: 0%
- 3. Analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena. AI use: 0%
- 4. Report experimental results by writing papers for scientific journals or by presenting information at scientific conferences. AI use: 0%
- 5. Design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood. AI use: 93%
- 6. Write research proposals to receive funding. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Related
Source coverage
10/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Data quality
Employment data available
Narrative & sources
Physicists and astronomers study the interactions of matter and energy.
Physicists and astronomers may work in offices, research laboratories, and observatories. Most physicists and astronomers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week.
Physicists and astronomers typically need a Ph.D. for jobs in research and academia. However, entry-level physicist jobs in the federal government typically require a bachelor’s degree in physics.
The median annual wage for astronomers was $132,170 in May 2024.
Overall employment of physicists and astronomers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Important context
This score measures structural AI displacement pressure, not actual job losses. Local wages and demand data are specific to United States AI Work Index; the underlying AI task overlap analysis is consistent across all countries.