Across the US, 4553 bachelor’s degrees were awarded in physics and 325 in astronomy in the class of 2003. Those numbers represent a 25% increase in physics over a low four years earlier, and an unprecedented jump of 66% in astronomy over the same period. The experiences and plans of the new bachelors are discussed in a recent report by the American Institute of Physics.
Physics and astronomy accounted for only 0.3% of all bachelor’s degrees awarded in the US in 2003; they made up 2% of degrees awarded in math, science, and engineering. The representation of women in undergraduate physics and astronomy increased 50% over a decade earlier. The most frequent reason respondents gave for choosing physics was interest in the subject matter; many majors also listed the influence of a high-school teacher or a professor, with more women than men citing this as a reason.
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