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What is a college physics instructor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a college physics instructor. For example, did you know that they make an average of $32.61 an hour? That's $67,831 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 12% and produce 159,400 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreCollege Physics InstructorUS Average
Salary
5.3

Avg. Salary $67,831

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.7

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.27%

Asian 12.18%

Black or African American 4.93%

Hispanic or Latino 7.22%

Unknown 4.56%

White 70.84%

Gender

female 28.00%

male 72.00%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress level
4.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a college physics instructor

  1. Explore college physics instructor education requirements

    Most common college physics instructor degrees

    Bachelor's

    71.4 %

    Master's

    19.0 %

    Doctorate

    4.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific college physics instructor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Professional Development96.05%
    Syllabus2.56%
    Physical Therapy0.82%
    Labs0.57%
  3. Research college physics instructor duties and responsibilities

    • Train students to think analytically with collegiate level physics problems and introduce calculus concepts to solve problems involving kinematics.
    • Tutor undergraduate students on topics relate to data structures, basics of python and Arduino development
  4. Prepare your college physics instructor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your college physics instructor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a college physics instructor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable college physics instructor resume templates

    Build a professional college physics instructor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your college physics instructor resume.
    College Physics Instructor Resume
    College Physics Instructor Resume
    College Physics Instructor Resume
    College Physics Instructor Resume
    College Physics Instructor Resume
    College Physics Instructor Resume
    College Physics Instructor Resume
    College Physics Instructor Resume
    College Physics Instructor Resume
  5. Apply for college physics instructor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a college physics instructor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first college physics instructor job

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Average college physics instructor salary

The average college physics instructor salary in the United States is $67,831 per year or $33 per hour. College physics instructor salaries range between $48,000 and $95,000 per year.

Average college physics instructor salary
$67,831 Yearly
$32.61 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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