Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$82,110
- 25th Percentile — Junior$111,720
- 50th Percentile — Median$172,250
- 75th Percentile — Senior$222,760
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$274,110
The top 10% of Physicists earn $274,110 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $82,110, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska (est.) | $225,958 | +32.0% |
| Florida | $219,910 | +28.5% |
| New Hampshire | $208,970 | +22.1% |
| Oregon | $207,370 | +21.1% |
| California | $201,930 | +18.0% |
| Minnesota | $201,530 | +17.7% |
| Connecticut | $200,450 | +17.1% |
| Pennsylvania | $191,120 | +11.6% |
| Vermont (est.) | $184,874 | +8.0% |
| New York | $182,580 | +6.7% |
| Wisconsin | $181,180 | +5.8% |
| Kentucky | $179,250 | +4.7% |
| Georgia | $179,130 | +4.6% |
| Hawaii | $177,940 | +3.9% |
| New Mexico | $176,680 | +3.2% |
| Texas | $176,530 | +3.1% |
| Iowa | $176,230 | +3.0% |
| New Jersey | $175,090 | +2.3% |
| Maine (est.) | $174,604 | +2.0% |
| Ohio | $172,300 | +0.7% |
| Tennessee | $171,070 | -0.1% |
| Rhode Island | $169,270 | -1.1% |
| Maryland | $166,770 | -2.6% |
| Utah | $165,140 | -3.5% |
| Oklahoma | $162,530 | -5.1% |
| Arizona | $159,730 | -6.7% |
| Virginia | $159,320 | -6.9% |
| South Carolina | $159,280 | -7.0% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $159,197 | -7.0% |
| North Dakota (est.) | $157,486 | -8.0% |
| District of Columbia | $156,320 | -8.7% |
| Missouri | $156,130 | -8.8% |
| North Carolina | $153,120 | -10.6% |
| Louisiana | $152,750 | -10.8% |
| Nevada | $151,470 | -11.5% |
| Nebraska (est.) | $150,638 | -12.0% |
| Washington | $149,060 | -12.9% |
| Idaho | $148,780 | -13.1% |
| Alabama | $147,580 | -13.8% |
| Arkansas | $146,880 | -14.2% |
| Kansas (est.) | $145,503 | -15.0% |
| Illinois | $139,780 | -18.3% |
| Mississippi | $137,740 | -19.5% |
| Michigan | $135,340 | -20.9% |
| Delaware | $133,760 | -21.9% |
| West Virginia (est.) | $133,520 | -22.0% |
| Indiana | $132,050 | -22.9% |
| Massachusetts | $130,250 | -23.9% |
| Colorado | $128,830 | -24.7% |
| Montana | $125,680 | -26.6% |
| South Dakota | $108,270 | -36.8% |
What Factors Affect Physicists Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Physicists is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Florida pays an average of $219,910, while South Dakota pays $108,270 — a gap of $111,640 per year.
The middle half of Physicists earn between $111,720 and $222,760 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $82,110, while the top 10% earn more than $274,110.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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- Conservation Scientists $77,130/yr United States 54.9% vs this role
- Economists $142,130/yr United States 17.0% vs this role
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- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States 40.8% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States 19.8% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Physicists?
The average salary for Physicists in the United States is $171,180 per year, with a median of $172,250.
What is the starting salary for Physicists?
Entry-level Physicists typically earn between $82,110 and $111,720 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Physicists the most?
Florida pays Physicists the most at $219,910 per year on average, followed by New Hampshire ($208,970) and Oregon ($207,370).
How much do Physicists make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $171,180, Physicists earn approximately $82.3 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Physicists a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 20,430 Physicists jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $171,180 and a median of $172,250 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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