Re:Trade ya (Score 1)

I was in your situation (except it was after I spent almost 6 years in grad. school, although I did get a MS out of it). If you are so inclined, consider software test. You get to define and execute tests (just like physics), point out mistakes in other people's work (so you maintain your better-than-thou attitude you culture after years as a math-physics student) and generally get paid better than college professors and post-docs. Of course, you have to work to break through the "don't have your CS degree" misperception that some employers have. But even in this economy, the smart companies have an even greater need for software testers, because when you lay off a few developers, the remaining ones will be working that much harder, with less time. Do you really think they'll be generating fewer bugs?

Interestingly, I just went back to graduate school myself. I'm working on a MS in Software Engineering. (Figured I'd get some "real" creds.) Hey, it's fun to be working full-time and also be a full-time student.