Career comparison
Engineering Professor vs. Physics Professor
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Engineering professors earn more at the median ($109,270 vs. $100,310), while engineering professors usually get to work faster (5–7 years after a bachelor’s of training). Engineering professors teach engineering and lead research labs at colleges and universities. Physics professors teach physics and lead research into how the universe works.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Engineering Professor | Physics Professor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $109,270 | $100,310 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $61,550 – $210,370 | $60,200 – $177,850 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +7.8% (much faster than average) | +2.4% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 3,900 | 1,100 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 5–7 years after a bachelor’s | 6–9 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Ph.D. in engineering | Ph.D. in physics |
| Work setting | Engineering faculty work in classrooms, labs and offices.. | Faculty work in classrooms, labs, observatories and offices.. |
What each job does
Engineering Professor
- Teach engineering courses
- Run teaching labs
- Advise capstone design teams
- Lead a research lab
- Write grant proposals
Physics Professor
- Teach physics courses
- Run labs and demonstrations
- Lead research
- Mentor students
- Write grants
How they’re similar
Both careers involve problem-solving, high-pay, and working independently. Both are part of the education & childcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose engineering professor if…
- I love engineering
- I want to lead research
- I enjoy mentoring
Choose physics professor if…
- I love physics
- I enjoy math
- I like explaining hard ideas
Still torn? Take the Engineering Professor fit quiz and the Physics Professor fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, engineering professor or physics professor?
Engineering Professors earn more at the median: $109,270 versus $100,310 for physics professors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Engineering Professors typically train faster (5–7 years after a bachelor’s) than physics professors (6–9 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects engineering professors to grow +7.8% from 2025–35, compared with +2.4% for physics professors.