Physics Teachers, Postsecondary
Machines can already do 44% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 56%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 44% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2032, and 56% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 13,090 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $100,310 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 71% for contact with people.
- Also called: Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Instructor.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as quantum mechanics, particle physics, and optics | 18% | 74% to 74% | |
| Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media | 14% | 3% to 25% | |
| Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers | 8% | 72% to 74% | |
| Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts | 6% | 63% to 81% | |
| Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work | 6% | 9% to 23% | |
| Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students | 5% | 32% to 50% | |
| Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences | 5% | 54% to 68% | |
| Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others | 4% | 73% to 74% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills physics teachers, postsecondary use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary51% of tasks by 2035 · US median $84,620
- Food Scientists and Technologists50% of tasks by 2035 · US median $88,720
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Physics Teachers, Postsecondary?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2032. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of physics teachers, postsecondary?
Machines can do 44% of the tasks of physics teachers, postsecondary today and 56% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 25-1054.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Physics Teachers, Postsecondary: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/physics-teachers-postsecondary/