Agatha Nunes, 18 years old, decided to follow a professional path that is still little explored by women and is among the rare choices of university entrance candidates in general.
Having passed her bachelor’s degree in physics at USP (University of São Paulo) and Unicamp (State University of Campinas), the student enters an area where less than a quarter of enrollments in Brazil are female.
The data comes from Inep (National Institute of Educational Studies and Research Anísio Teixeira) and IBGE, the country’s main data and information provider.
“Since I was little, I’ve always liked astronomy and the universe, so when I started learning about it, I was already quite interested in the area”, says Agatha to CNN Brazil.
The feat occurs in a scenario of low female employment and male predominance. According to research published in the Brazilian Journal of Physics Teaching, based on the 2024 Higher Education Census, the bachelor’s degree in physics maintains a male majority, with a ratio of 2.71 men for every woman entering.
The study also reveals that the white population is the majority, with more than 50% of vacancies since 2018, and that black students and students from public schools have a higher dropout rate throughout the course, not completing the trajectory at the same rate as they enroll.
Market demand
Although physics is traditionally associated with teaching, the corporate sector points to a transformation. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023, professions linked to data analysis will experience marked growth until 2027. In this context, physicists and physicists become strategic pieces.
“There is a myth that physics is for those who want to teach. But the truth is that these professionals are at the center of discussions about algorithm modeling and data science”, explains Fernanda Guglielmi, HR manager at Serasa Experian.
According to the executive, the training trains the brain to deal with the unpredictable, a characteristic sought after by the current market.
Statistical model analyst Leonardo Valadão, who is also a physicist trained at USP, exemplifies this practical application. “Physics taught me to formulate the right problem before looking for the answer. And that makes all the difference in a data team,”
For those considering the area, he advises: “Don’t get caught up in the idea that you need to know exactly where you’re going to apply this knowledge.”
Tips for entrance exam candidates
For the country’s main universities, Agatha Nunes structured her preparation around three pillars: academic, physical and emotional.
“The third consists of learning to keep your emotions balanced and knowing how to deal with anxiety and pressure — which can even come from yourself, as it did for me.”
To those seeking higher education in 2026, the future physics: “Study hard. Whatever your goal, find out what you need to achieve and dedicate yourself. Trust your trajectory and your knowledge.”
