Few particle physicists in the United States get academic posts, says a study from the US Department of Energy. It found that on average, 400 students entered US particle-physics graduate programmes annually from 2007 to 2009. Each year, on average, 88 became postdocs, 33 went to non-US institutions and 200 left the field. Of the 1,000 US postdocs in particle physics in the time period, an average of 40 became untenured faculty members or staff each year, 126 left academia and 50 became non-US postdocs. Some 74 postdocs and researchers got a tenured post. Across all levels, an average of 55 particle physicists left academia for jobs such as banking, finance or IT. The study collects data on the choices of graduate students, postdocs and staff at 150 US research institutions.