Earth science and physics

How to become a physicist

Official title: Physicist

Also called: Medical physicist, Astrophysicist, Biophysicist, Geophysicist, Nuclear physicist, Physical scientist, Physics researcher

Physicists study physical events and develop ways to apply physical laws and theories like developing and using medical treatment techniques.

Main tasks

Study physical laws and theories
Solve maths problems
Use lab and field equipment
Analyse science data
Create theories and models
Research environmental impacts of activities
Prepare reports and presentations
Write proposals and applications

How to become one

You need more than one qualification to become a physicist. You need University Entrance to do the study or training for this job. Required: a bachelor's degree in physics, medical physics and imaging technology, environmental physics, mathematics and statistics or similar area OR a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) or similar; a Master of Science or similar. Other requirements: experience in similar work; a doctoral degree in physics and astronomy or similar area; to complete the Training, Education and Assessment Programme in conjunction with postgraduate study in radiation oncology medical physics, diagnostic imaging medical physics or radiopharmaceutical science; to be a member of The Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine.

See the full Tahatū profile

Ways in

University: Science degrees, Offered by 6 universities in New Zealand
University: Mathematics & Statistics degrees
University: Engineering degrees, Offered by 5 universities in New Zealand

Pay · Past change · AI and this job

Most common pay: $92,000 to $166,000 a year (median $121,000), a TEC estimate before tax.
Lower: $74,000 a year · Upper: $250,000 a year
TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
Change in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses: Increase (TEC). This is past change, not a forecast.
Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Who does this work

About 51 people did this job at the 2023 Census (TEC).
In the group Other Natural and Physical Science Professionals, 46% of workers are female (sex at birth, 2023 Census).
Where people in the group Other Natural and Physical Science Professionals work (2023 Census): Auckland 29.7%, Wellington 21.8%, and Canterbury 13.3%.

Questions people ask

How do I become a physicist?

How much does a physicist earn in New Zealand?

The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $121,000 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $92,000 to $166,000 a year.

Has the number of people working as a physicist grown in New Zealand?

It has grown: TEC records an increase in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses. This is past change, not a forecast.

Will AI change the work of a physicist?

Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Stats NZ (via Figure.NZ): Census 2023: employed by regional council, occupation (ANZSCO V1.3 unit group) and sex at birth (2023 Census), CC BY 4.0 (Stats NZ), CC BY 3.0 NZ (Figure.NZ), retrieved 4 October 2026
International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.

Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.

This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.

These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.

Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.

Updated 4 October 2026