Graduate Outcomes

Physics

First Destinations

First Destinations

This graph illustrates the first destinations of recent alumni from the last four graduating classes. Details for each of these categories can be found below.
  • 34% Employment
  • 52% Graduate School
  • 0% Post-Graduate Service
  • 2% Fellowships
  • 2% Continuing Education
  • 10% Other

Top Locations

Top Locations

These are among the top locations of graduates in this major. Whether working, studying, or volunteering, you'll find Grinnellians all over the world.
Map of the world
  • Boston, MA
  • Chicago, IL
  • Madison, WI
  • San Francisco Bay Area, CA
  • West Lafayette, IN

Employment

Employment

There is no typical path of a Grinnell graduate. As this list illustrates, Grinnellians work across all types of industries working with a rich array of employers.
Employer Position
Amazon software development engineer
Department of Energy intern
Los Alamos National Laboratory postbaccalaureate researcher
United States Navy NPTU instructor
Valiant Capital Partners junior analyst
Physics

Employment Data

Employer Position Location
Amazon software development engineer Boston, MA
Arkadia Traiskirchen Lions basketball player Traiskirchen, Austria
Bloomberg data analyst Tokyo, Japan
Catholic University of Korea medical physics researcher Seoul, Republic of Korea
Cornell University research intern Ithaca, NY
Datavant software engineer San Francisco, CA
Department of Energy intern Ames, IA
Dev10 software developer Portland, OR
Epic client systems administrator Verona, WI
Glue Visualizations freelance software developer Lexington, MA
Grinnell College Makerspace manager Grinnell, IA
Los Alamos National Laboratory postbaccalaureate researcher Los Alamos, NM
MIT research technician Cambridge, MA
National Renewable Energy Laboratory research intern Golden, CO
Quentin STEM Academy for Health Sciences music teacher Avondale, AZ
Stanford University software engineer Palo Alto, CA
United States Navy NPTU instructor Charleston, SC
University of Cambridge research assistant Cambridge, UK
University of Iowa research assistant Iowa City, IA
Valiant Capital Partners junior analyst San Francisco, CA

Positions Related to Career Goals

Positions Related to Career Goals

This graph illustrates the extent to which our graduates' first job is aligned with their career goals. It's one thing to find a job; it's an entirely different thing to land the job you want!
  • 38% Completely
  • 54% Moderately
  • 8% Slightly
  • 0% Not at All

Graduate Schools

Graduate Schools

Grinnell graduates are particularly well prepared for graduate study. You'll find Grinnellians attend the best graduate and professional school programs around the world.
Institution Degree Field of Study
Cornell University MEng aerospace, aeronautical & astronautical engineering
Ohio State University PhD astronomy
Princeton University PhD science, technology & environmental policy
University of Alberta MS electrical & computer engineering
University of Illinois PhD materials science & engineering
University of Minnesota PhD astrophysics
University of Wisconsin PhD nuclear engineering
Physics

Graduate Schools Data

Institution Degree Field of Study Location
Columbia University PhD astronomy New York, NY
Cornell University MEng aerospace, aeronautical & astronautical engineering Ithaca, NY
Dartmouth College PhD physics Hanover, NH
George Mason University PhD physics Fairfax, VA
Georgia Institute of Technology MS aerospace engineering Atlanta, GA
Harvard University PhD astronomy Cambridge, MA
Hofstra University MS medical physics Hempstead, NY
Iowa State University MS materials science & engineering Ames, IA
Johns Hopkins University MS electrical engineering Baltimore, MD
Northwestern University MEng mechanical engineering Evanston, IL
Ohio State University PhD astronomy Columbus, OH
Princeton University PhD science, technology & environmental policy Princeton, NJ
Purdue University MS mechanical engineering West Lafayette, IN
Purdue University PhD chemistry West Lafayette, IN
Stony Brook University PhD applied math Stony Brook, NY
University of Alberta MS electrical & computer engineering Edmonton, Canada
University of California MEng environmental health engineering Berkeley, CA
University of California PhD physics Davis, CA
University of Georgia MA classics Athens, GA
University of Illinois MS nuclear, plasma & radiological engineering Urbana-Champaign, IL
University of Illinois PhD materials science & engineering Urbana-Champaign, IL
University of Illinois PhD physics Urbana-Champaign, IL
University of Iowa MAT science Iowa City, IA
University of Minnesota PhD astrophysics Minneapolis, MN
University of New Hampshire PhD physics Durham, NH
University of Oklahoma MS medical physics Oklahoma City, OK
University of Oregon MS applied physics Eugene, OR
University of St. Thomas MDiv philosophy St. Paul, MN
University of Texas PhD astronomy Austin, TX
University of Wisconsin PhD biophysics Madison, WI
University of Wisconsin PhD nuclear engineering Madison, WI

Graduate School Acceptance Info

Of those who applied to and were accepted to at least one program, this chart illustrates the percentage of admitted students who were accepted to either their first or second choice program and institution.
65%
65% of students are accepted to their first or second choice graduate institution and program

Fellowships

Fellowships

Grinnell has a rich history of producing recipients of some of the most prestigious post-graduate fellowships and awards.

Organization

  • Grinnell College
Physics

Fellowships Data

Organization Location
Grinnell College Grinnell, IA

Experiential Learning

Experiential Learning

Participation in high-impact experiences is a hallmark of a Grinnell education. The following graphs illustrate the percentage of graduates who completed internships, research experiences (both on- and off-campus), service, and/or off-campus study prior to graduating from Grinnell.
Internships
34%
Physics

Internships Data

Organization Field Location
B3 Group Inc. computing/technology Hernden, VA
BRCK computing/technology Nairobi, Kenya
Caribbean Sustainable Energy & Innovation Institute environment/sustainability Kingston, Jamaica
Commonwealth Edison, Inc. research/science Chicago, IL
Crystal Method Co. computing/technology Tokyo, Japan
Dahua Tech computing/technology Hangzhou, China
Dash Arts creative/performing arts London, UK
Datavant computing/technology San Francisco, CA
Emera Caribbean Ltd. environment/sustainability Bridgetown, Barbados
Enginevision data science/analytics Cairo, Egypt
FamilyWise social services Minneapolis, MN
Fondi inc. computing/technology Tokyo, Japan
Grinnell College Office of Admission education Grinnell, IA
History Factory sales/marketing Washington, DC
ICBC International finance Hong Kong, Hong Kong
International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research research/science Dhaka, Bangladesh
Meta computing/technology Menlo Park, CA
MidCap Financial Services, LLC finance Bethesda, MD
Morningstar finance Washington, DC
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center research/science Greenbelt, MD
Oppenheim & Zebrak Law, LLP law/legal services Washington, DC
Osmania University research/science Hyderabad, India
PD Aerospace research/science Aichi, Japan
Powerley computing/technology Royal Oak, MI
Siemens research/science Buffalo Grove, IL
Space Telescope Science Institute research/science Baltimore, MD
TPI Composites computing/technology Newton, IA
University of Cambridge research/science Cambridge, UK
University of Tokyo research/science Tokyo, Japan
University of Wisconsin research/science Eau Claire, WI
U.S. Department of Agriculture research/science Coconino County, AZ
YMCA of Northern Utah education Salt Lake City, UT
Research
79%
Physics

Research Data

Organization Field Location
Biostat Global Consulting effect of post stratification on survey weights remote
Department of Energy materials science Ames, IA
Harvard University astronomy Cambridge, MA
Middle Tennessee State University acoustic & optical physics Murfreesboro, TN
Morehead State University satellite development Morehead, KY
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center astronomy Greenbelt, MD
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center heliophysics Huntsville, AL
National Renewable Energy Laboratory geothermal energy Golden, CO
Notre Dame topological superconductors South Bend, IN
Oregon State University robotics Corvallis, OR
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory runaway electrons Princeton, NJ
Princeton University physical oceanography remote
South Dakota State University perovskite solar cells Brookings, SD
Space Telescope Science Institute exoplanetary astronomy Baltimore, MD
Stanford University robotics Stanford, CA
University of Colorado solar & space physics Boulder, CO
University of Michigan particle physics Ann Arbor, MI
University of Milan physics Milan, Italy
University of Minnesota dark matter & strong gravitational lenses Minneapolis, MN
University of Minnesota material science Minneapolis, MN
Virginia Tech neutrino physics Blacksburg, VA
Washington State University experimental physics Pullman, WA
Service
72%
Off-Campus Study
29%

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