What Can I Do With a Major In Astrophysics?

UGA Specific Information for Astrophysics

The Astrophysics major combines the fundamental study of physics with observational astronomy and astrophysics. Emphasis is placed on applying theory to current astronomical and astrophysical problems and on individual research. Career opportunities include employment in private and government laboratories, university teaching, planetaria, the armed forces, or secondary school teaching. Possible graduate programs include astrophysics/astronomy, physics, science education, engineering, data science, applied math, and many others, including medical school and law school.

Class of 2021 Career Outcomes for Astrophysics*

** Includes Self-Employed

Campus Resources

Career Consulting

  • Virtual career consultant appointments can be scheduled through Handshake or by calling 706-542-3375. Once scheduled, your Career Consultant will send you a virtual meeting invitation via Zoom.

Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Involvement Network

Study Away

Additional UGA Career Center Recommendations/Considerations

UGA Mentor Program: Networking with your Bulldog family can help you get ahead in life and career, but where do you even start? The UGA Mentor Program narrows down the world of possibilities to meaningful connections. It personalizes the mentoring experience, connecting you with mentors that are just right for your commitment. There's a better way to network. Visit mentor.uga.edu today and find a mentor who can help you see your future.

Find alumni on LinkedIn who have graduated from UGA with their Astrophysics degree. See what they are currently doing and how they got there! Join LinkedIn groups that are related to your career interest. Review the groups that professionals in your field of interest have joined and consider joining them as well.

Researching Careers: Regardless of the career that you desire to pursue, talking with professionals in that field is essential and can help validate your decisions. Use the Informational Interview guidelines in the UGA Career Guide to learn more about how to connect with individuals in your areas of interest.

Graduate School: If you are interested in going to graduate school, check out these Getting Into Graduate School resources on the UGA Career Center’s website. For additional graduate school help, meet with your Career Consultant at the UGA Career Center.

Supplemental Career Research Dashboard

Additional Career Research Resources

  • Candid Career (Watch recorded informational interviews of professionals in specific careers. Filter videos by career title, college major, industry, and more.)
  • Firsthand (Explore a library of guides, articles, and other resources to help you explore careers, plan your job search, and learn about different work environments. Create a free account with your UGA email.)
  • Glassdoor (Tool for job searching and applying as well as salary research)
  • Occupational Outlook Handbook (National data on occupational trends and salaries)
  • O*NET (Free career assessment to analyze interests)

Employment Websites

Professional Associations/Resources

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