Choosing College

Does it matter where you go to college? A new report by the American Institute of Physics (AIP) compares the career paths and satisfaction of physics bachelors from small and large departments and from departments with and without graduate programs.

A slightly higher fraction of graduates from large departments (defined as graduating 10 or more students per year) than from small departments continued on to graduate or professional school in some field. But once they entered the work force, the type of college attended had no bearing on whether the graduates worked in science or technology, how many job offers they got, how long they spent hunting for a job, or their salary.

However, graduates from large departments were the most satisfied with their math and physics preparation, while those from departments that grant only bachelor’s degrees rated their communications and teamwork skills highest. Women were more likely than men to earn their bachelor’s from smaller departments (53% compared with 43%).

In addition, graduates from institutions where the bachelor’s is the highest degree granted in physics rated their departmental climate better than did those from PhD-granting departments. And departments with the best climate had the most majors per faculty member in subsequent years.

Does It Matter Where I Go to College? is the third report in a series for which AIP surveyed people five to eight years after they received their physics bachelor’s degree in 1991–93. It may be downloaded from the Web at http://www.aip.org/statistics/college . Single copies may be obtained free of charge from AIP, Statistical Research Center, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3842; e-mail stats@aip.org ; or phone 1-301-209-3070