The American Institute of Physics has released new data regarding recent trends in the awarding of physics bachelor’s degrees, revealing insights into the representation of physics students in the United States.
In the 2024–2025 academic year, U.S. institutions awarded 8,108 bachelor’s degrees in physics, a 4 percent increase from the prior year. Among these students, 334 were Black, representing 4.7 percent of all physics bachelor’s degree recipients. That same year, Black students received 10.2 percent of all U.S. bachelor’s degrees and 7.5 percent of all STEM bachelor’s degrees. Among other racial groups, White students earned 66.7 percent of physics bachelor’s degrees in 2024–2025, while Asian students earned 12.3 percent and Hispanic students earned 11.3 percent of those degrees.
The proportion of physics bachelor’s degrees awarded to Black students has gradually increased over the past two decades, but their current representation remains about one percentage point below its mid-1990s level. However, the total number of Black physics bachelor’s degree recipients has grown substantially over the same time period. Since 2007, the number of physics degrees awarded to Black students has increased by 130 percent.
