What Comes After PhD In Education? Future Career Paths After A PhD

For most people, and it’s not wrong to call it the truth, a PhD is the pinnacle of educational achievement. Years of gruelling research, late-night revisions, and deep quests for theory all form the crux of a long and arduous PhD journey. However, one thing that keeps many students from pursuing a PhD is a critical question that not many people have answers to. It is what to do after PhD? Most students, or people who aren’t very familiar with doctoral-level research, don’t know what comes after PhD in education, or what to do after PhD outside of becoming a lecturer. If you are also considering a PhD but feel anxious about your future career path after completing your doctoral studies, let us guide you through the various career paths that one can pursue after earning a PhD. 

First Things First: Why Do People Pursue PhDs To Begin With?

Let us try to understand a fundamental question: Why do people still pursue PhDs? Well, one of the reasons why people choose the degree is because of its high prestige, but usually that’s not the only motivation behind their choice. It is important to keep in mind that the journey from a PhD scholar to become a doctorate holder carries much greater significance than merely a high status. Here are the reasons why people often choose to do PhDs.

• Contribution To Knowledge:-

 One of the main reasons why people choose PhDs is that it is a degree that allows them to make monumental contributions to their area of expertise. PhD holders, who are not looking for PhD careers outside of academia, are specifically focused on expanding their knowledge and providing more information for future researchers. 

• Systemic Impact:-

 Gaining a PhD helps people acquire the credentials and expertise necessary to influence large-scale educational reforms. Especially if they want to know what to do after PhD in education. 

• Specialised Expertise:- 

A PhD serves as proof that a doctoral holder is a master of their field. PhDs prove that the holder is a master of the field, and thus, in a job requiring someone with said expertise, a PhD holder is likely to be the top choice. 

• Career Advancement:-

 While the ‘what to do after PhD’ question is very common, you have to keep in mind that PhDs are still at the top of the academic ladder. Most people with PhDs, provided they are in the right industries, can get very well-paying jobs if they also have the necessary skills.

• Love Of Inquiry:-

 Most importantly, and it is the most important reason for a lot of people, they just love to learn. A lot of PhD holders decided to pursue a PhD not because they wanted the foremost crown of academics, but because they had a genuine interest in learning more. 

What Is The Highest Degree After PhD? 

Many people think that a PhD is the peak of academic achievement, but is it really? When the question of ‘what to do after PhD’ arises, most people generally think about pursuing a high-paying job after their doctoral program, but there are also educational milestones that you can reach after completing your PhD. 

Although there are no higher degrees in terms of academic hierarchy, many scholars pursue postdoctoral fellowships to further refine their research. Some also go for higher doctorates, such as D.Sc. or D.Litt. in certain international systems based on a lifetime of significant contributions to their field. However, for most people, education doesn’t go beyond a PhD, as it is the height of academic credentials for them. 

PhD Careers Outside Of Academia: Can You Get A Different Job Via PhD?

Possibly the biggest stereotype about a PhD is that you can’t find jobs outside of academia. However, that isn’t actually true. Or we should probably say that it does not tell the whole story. There are actually a lot of PhD careers outside of academia; you just have to broaden your search if you feel like you will be confused as to what comes after PhD in education. Here are some industries that hire doctorate holders for non-academic roles. 

• Management Consulting:-

 PhD holders are considered to be the top experts of their fields, which is why it isn’t unheard of for them to get hired as senior consultants. Many management firms hire PhD holders to shape their policy decisions and provide feedback for existing policies. After PhD salary per month of a management consultant can be over $65,000 in large multinational companies. 

• Policy Analysis:- 

As stated earlier, PhD holders are highly regarded and their wisdom is commonly sought by policy makers. Many PhD holders can get hired as policy makers themselves and fetch good salaries comparable to senior managers. 

• Government Positions:- 

Government agencies in various countries hire PhD holders to aid in decision making. This is why, getting government jobs after PhD is a very feasible option if you want to go into public service. 

• Academic Writing:- 

While working as an academic writer after doing a PhD might not seem different than standard academic work, but it can be a very profitable career. If you want to complete your PhD as fast as possible and want to get to know how academic writers work, you can contact our PhD consultation assignment help service. 

Government Jobs After PhD That You Can Consider

As stated earlier, there are a lot of PhD careers outside of academia, and government jobs are one of them. Here are some well-paying roles that you can consider if you want to get government jobs after PhD. 

• Policy Analyst/Senior Policy Advisor:- 

Government policies are shaped after long deliberation, and lawmakers often seek advice from the most knowledgeable people they could find. This is why they often hire PhD students as policymaking interns and experienced researchers as senior policy advisors. 

• Intelligence Analyst/Research Officer:-

 Security agencies like the CIA and FBI make use of PhD holders because of their importance in determining patterns like criminal behaviour, crime scene residuals, and preventive measures. 

• Scientific Research Scientist:-

 If you want to know what to do after PhD in physics, chemistry or biology, then you can work as a scientist in government labs. Government-sponsored scientists often earn more than their lecturer counterparts despite having the same qualifications.

• Economist/ Quantitative Analyst:-

 If you have a PhD in economics, you can work as a financial advisor to the government. The advice of experts like these helps shape the budget of a country. 

• Public Health Official/ Epidemiologist:- 

The recent pandemic highlighted the importance of public health officials. These people often have a PhD in health-related areas, making them a valuable source of knowledge for governments to consult. 

What To Do After PhD In English?

Have you ever wondered what comes after PhD in education? Or, more specifically, the English language. If you didn’t, there is a lot of scope for English language PhD holders as well. Here is what to do after PhD in English. 

• Higher Education Administration:-

 If you want to know what to do after PhD in education, then you can get into higher education administrative positions. You can work as a director of an educational institution or begin a career as an associate professor, provided it doesn’t take you out of the academic field. 

• Content Strategy and Communications:- 

Content marketing is a very lucrative industry. The global content marketing industry is estimated to be worth over $400 billion, and an industry this huge requires skilled professionals, including PhD holders, to serve in management positions. 

• Publishing and Editorial Leadership:-

 Many major newspapers and magazines, along with online news sites, hire PhD holders to work as senior editors. They also work as expert writers owing to their years of experience writing academic articles. If you want PhD SOP writing services, we can directly connect you to an expert writer like them. 

• User Experience, Writing and Research:-

 If you pursue the highest degree after PhDs like postdocs, you can be invited to academic research and writing forums. Many of these experts get hired to suggest improvements that enhance user experience on different platforms and websites. 

What To Do After PhD In Education?

A lot of academics and teachers generally pursue a PhD, and you can too. The education sector is a huge market, and you’d be happy to learn that it is not an industry that will ever show declining demand. Here is what to do after PhD in education. 

• Policy Analysis and Government Consulting:-

 A PhD in education might give you a chance to become part of your country’s education ministry, as you might get hired as a policy consultant. If you have ever wondered what comes after PhD in education, then this is a likely outcome for high-profile researchers. 

• Learning and Development Leadership:- 

Many educational authorities and governing bodies recruit PhD holders to draft plans that would directly affect the learning and development of students. Even EdTech companies can hire you for such positions. 

• Instructional Design and EdTech Strategy:- 

The EdTech market is booming, and PhD holders will get a significant share of this meteoric growth. After salary PhD per month of PhD holders in EdTech is generally high, as their expertise is highly valued in a rapidly growing and changing industry. 

• Higher Education Leadership:-

 Most importantly, significant leadership positions in academic bodies are usually restricted to PhD holders or people who have completed the highest degree after PhDs. It takes time to get there, but without a PhD, you cannot become the dean of a university or acquire a similar position. 

What To Do After PhD In Physics?

A PhD in physics might put you in a tier comparable to legendary scientists like Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, as your knowledge of physics will make you an invaluable asset to the academic community. Here is what to do after PhD in physics.

• Quantitative Finance and Algorithmic Trading:-

 As we said earlier, there are a lot of PhD careers outside of academia, and in this section, we will be looking at non-academic careers only. Roles like quantitative analyst, risk manager, and model validator are available to highly skilled and knowledgeable PhD holders in physics. 

• Data Science and Machine Learning:- 

Data science has always been in high demand ever since humans began keeping records. In a more modern scenario, though, machine learning is quickly emerging at the forefront of humanity’s technological progress. After PhD salary per month of ML engineers is much higher than that of most tech professionals these days. 

• Renewable Energy and Climate Modelling:-

 In today’s age of high environmental consciousness, roles like systems architect, photovoltaic research scientist, and climate fluid dynamicist are gaining greater importance. These positions are usually offered to PhD holders, so if you want to know what to do after PhD in physics, especially in today’s era, maybe you can consider these fields. 

• Aerospace and Defence Research:- 

Space organisations of various countries and private companies alike are constantly searching for PhD holders to fill positions like propulsion engineer, ballistics analyst, satellite systems lead, etc. If you want to work at a high-profile organisation like NASA, you can try our PhD writing service to help get you one step closer to your dream. 

After PhD Salary Per Month: How Much Can You Expect To Earn?

The exact salary one gets after a PhD depends on the industry they work in and also the cost of living in their country. However, you can expect somewhere between $4,000 and $5,0000 as a postdoctoral researcher in the United States. Similarly, people (PhD holders) employed in previously discussed fields like quantitative analyst, data scientist, semiconductor engineer, etc., earn between $8,000 and $15,000 in entry-level roles. Public sector and national laboratories can pay anywhere from $6,000 to $8,000 if you are fresh out of a PhD. So you can say that after salary PhD per month is not too exciting, but its growth rate is very good, especially if you want to stay in your field for a long time. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to remember that having a PhD is not a guarantee of success. Many PhD holders go unemployed or struggle to find meaningful jobs that fit their interests. This should help you understand that no matter how qualified you are, unless you build good skills that are actually in high demand, then getting a well-paying job might just be a dream. So, the next time you wonder what to do after PhD, think carefully about what you expect from your future professional life and act accordingly.