Got my BS in Physics but I don't know what to apply for

[symbolipoint]

Teachers make bank. You peoples are crazy.

Imagine this. I move to California with a sleeping bag anf a backpack somewhere warm and close to the beach. I start some entry level bs job for 40 or 50k a year, but spend nothing on housing or food, sleeping on the beach and begging for food. I’ll pay off my loans in one year and retire after ten.

Not exactly. If you are single, and are careful about not wasting your money, your "bs" job at 40k a year should be enough to live somewhere in some kind of housing, cheap apartment or something, and maybe you can save some. Point is, do not waste your money; have something to save. There is possible salary increase with time, or a change of jobs for an increased salary. Still avoid wasting your money and maybe save more.

 

[fresh_42]

I removed a sub-discussion about homelessness. It doesn't belong to "what to apply for with a BS in physics".
Not alone that it is unlikely an option for most people, it is also loaded with too many unproven assumptions, prejudices and stereotypes. I cannot imagine someone studied physics just to become homeless.

Please stay on topic.

 

[Salviati]

Was anyone here actually hired as a programmer or data analyst with a physics degree who did not have years of programming and software development experience?

I was and I was lucky. I did physics for my undergrad then computational science for my masters. I got a job doing some backend development without having any actual software dev experience (just MATLAB and some numerical analysis) because the people at the company were really nice. I learned c++ mostly on the job. The problem now is that since my programming knowledge is so job-specific and not having gone through an proper comp sci curriculum, I always fail the technical component of a software dev interview. If I even transition to another software dev job I would probably have to go back down to a junior position and a have major drop in salary.

 

[Zap]

Can you give us an update, OP? Did you find a job? Are you a fry cook? Are you on welfare? Are you making 100k in silicon valley? What happened?

There are a lot of posts like this on the forum. I made one myself, and almost all of them end abruptly. It would be nice for you to inform the public what has transpired after making a post like this.

I myself am considering going into teaching. I am a professional student, after all, and I have 4 years of teaching and tutoring experience. I never wanted to be a teacher, but I have to take what I can get.

My friend seems to think that the fact that I have 250 credits under my belt makes me highly employable as a teacher. They pay teachers starting at around 50k in Texas, according to him, which is more than three times what I am currently making as a grad student. 50k is about how much an associate engineer or scientist makes, so I don't understand why teaching is considered a low paying job. No upward mobility?