A physicist can be a good multi-disciplinary, quantitative problem solver. I think the reason is that physics doesn't "own" very many practical techniques, so we are constantly borrowing from other fields. Physicists also tend to keep their math skills after graduation. Most program well enough to be dangerous, and with a bit of guidance can become good developers.

I got a BS in math and physics, then continued for a PhD in physics. Today I work for a company that makes measurement equipment. We have engineers from most of the traditional disciplines, but they tend to be silo'd, and happy to avoid math and theory. Unavoidably, understanding (and proving) how the product works involves a combination of mechanical, electronics, data processing, statistics, and so forth. My long term role is to be the person who understands how the product works, not only acquiring domain knowledge but creating it.

The deal is that physics isn't an exclusive guild, and there are people in other disciplines with similar inclinations, but they're as rare as physicists. So I can't tell you why you need a physicist at the exclusion of any quantitative engineer with 30 years of experience. I can't promise that you'll get rich at it. I just try to help people and learn new things.

you are a doctor... bro

It might differ between countries, but I've found that physics is one of the most valued degrees. It's a demonstration of problem-solving skills that are very desirable for a variety of jobs (e.g. software development).

I have a PhD in physics and work in industry for the last 25 years.

My PhD was sure a very nice to have, but never a life changer.

Would I do it again? Probably yes because of the tremendous joy research brought me (and free time for parties!).

Did I recommend it to my kids? No, they are better off with me specific studies.

I’d hire a physics BS grad for a software dev job. The ability to reason through mathematical problems is very similar. But then, I’m an atmospheric science student who ended up as a programmer.

Assuming from your comment history that this is a genuine question and not a troll.

Of the 100 or so people in my MSCi physics degree programme there were:

About 40 who went on to do PhDs ... of which about 30 are now academics, the rest went pretty evenly into the categories below, just a few years later

20 went on to some kind of elite professional services: investment banking, consulting, law or into large corporate management graduate programmes

10 are teachers, tutors, or have some other allied role

10 are civil servants or work for think tanks or other NGOs

20 have jobs in tech in various capacities

The exact same thing as a bachelor's in CS? You hardly need a CS degree to work in most tech jobs.

> What are you supposed to achieve with a bachelors in physics

Start an internet payment, space exploration, electronic vehicle, tunnel boring, or direct brain-computer interface company.

The mean ROI on a bachelors in physics is probably the highest in STEM.

Apparently, they're also popular on Wall Street

Other than perhaps space exploration, what do any of these have to do with physics? It seems what you are arguing for is “just found multiple highly successful businesses”, which… well, yeah. Why do you need a physics degree for that?

I think cars have something to do with physics(like most real things), and since physik is applied math and being good with applied math might also help with numbers of money in general, I think a physics degree is helpful in allmost any job.

Physics seems to attract the sort of people who have the sort of arrogance it takes to look at a product or business and say "This is not great. I can start work from first principles and build a better one". Elon Musk is certainly an example, but not the only one (think MySQL/MariaDB, 90s Nokia, or more far-fetched example, the Red Special guitar). Physics also tends to be just difficult enough that most computing or finance problems are easy in comparison, and some of the math is useful.

Mandatory SMBC link: https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/2012-03-21

> Other than perhaps space exploration, what do any of these have to do with physics?

Historically, the most successful examples in each of those industries have a physics degree. I cannot explain the causation.

Elon Musk also drives the mean for physics majors way up.

Ah, "mean ROI". What's the median ROI? What does the distribution look like?

I have no clue.

It was supposed to be a joke, which maybe people missed, about how Elon Musk was a physics major and how mean values on power law distributions are distorted greatly by the outliers.

So I have n clue what the median is, but I assume, like all income and wealth distributions it follows a power law distribution.

I know someone with a bachelors in physics clearing mid 6-figures a year. Maybe ask her.