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How Much Does a Physicist Make?
A physicist in the US earns a median salary of $172,250 a year, or $82.81 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $171,180, and the middle half earn between $111,720 and $222,760.
Physicist pay range
What physicists earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.
| Percentile | A year | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest 10%) | $82,110 | $39.48 | |
| 25th | $111,720 | $53.71 | |
| Median (50th) | $172,250 | $82.81 | |
| 75th | $222,760 | $107.10 | |
| 90th (top 10%) | $274,110 | $131.79 |
The median is 238% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 20,430 people work as physicists in the US.
After tax and by period
- A week
- $3,313
- Every two weeks
- $6,625
- Twice a month
- $7,177
- A month
- $14,354
At the median salary, before tax.
Physicist salary by state
Sorted by average pay. Florida pays physicists the most, at $219,910 a year on average.
| State | Average | Median | Jobs | After tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $219,910 | $225,390 | 340 | After tax |
| New Hampshire | $208,970 | $214,030 | 30 | After tax |
| Oregon | $207,370 | $200,320 | 90 | After tax |
| California | $201,930 | $207,490 | 5,930 | After tax |
| Minnesota | $201,530 | $171,220 | 110 | After tax |
| Connecticut | $200,450 | $180,300 | 60 | After tax |
| Pennsylvania | $191,120 | $210,990 | 230 | After tax |
| New York | $182,580 | $181,970 | 1,140 | After tax |
| Wisconsin | $181,180 | $173,120 | 180 | After tax |
| Kentucky | $179,250 | $180,910 | 50 | After tax |
| Georgia | $179,130 | $144,870 | 160 | After tax |
| Hawaii | $177,940 | $117,190 | 40 | After tax |
| New Mexico | $176,680 | $165,340 | 580 | After tax |
| Texas | $176,530 | $184,040 | 580 | After tax |
| Iowa | $176,230 | $178,110 | 110 | After tax |
| New Jersey | $175,090 | $163,270 | 470 | After tax |
| Ohio | $172,300 | $162,900 | 630 | After tax |
| Tennessee | $171,070 | $165,010 | 240 | After tax |
| Rhode Island | $169,270 | $155,150 | – | After tax |
| Maryland | $166,770 | $174,390 | 1,200 | After tax |
| Utah | $165,140 | $156,760 | 30 | After tax |
| Oklahoma | $162,530 | $200,050 | 40 | After tax |
| Arizona | $159,730 | $130,500 | 120 | After tax |
| Virginia | $159,320 | $145,040 | 940 | After tax |
| South Carolina | $159,280 | $138,400 | 420 | After tax |
| District of Columbia | $156,320 | $157,040 | 480 | After tax |
| Missouri | $156,130 | $140,460 | 90 | After tax |
| North Carolina | $153,120 | $174,180 | 150 | After tax |
| Louisiana | $152,750 | $166,240 | 40 | After tax |
| Nevada | $151,470 | $154,030 | 50 | After tax |
| Washington | $149,060 | $134,790 | 450 | After tax |
| Idaho | $148,780 | $135,150 | – | After tax |
| Alabama | $147,580 | $139,330 | 280 | After tax |
| Arkansas | $146,880 | $135,820 | 60 | After tax |
| Illinois | $139,780 | $137,140 | 1,590 | After tax |
| Mississippi | $137,740 | $129,970 | 80 | After tax |
| Michigan | $135,340 | $94,520 | 510 | After tax |
| Delaware | $133,760 | $82,590 | 50 | After tax |
| Indiana | $132,050 | $105,940 | 230 | After tax |
| Massachusetts | $130,250 | $106,410 | 1,150 | After tax |
| Colorado | $128,830 | $104,580 | 1,050 | After tax |
| Montana | $125,680 | $103,800 | 30 | After tax |
| South Dakota | $108,270 | $83,050 | 30 | After tax |
A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.
Other science jobs
- Medical scientist $103,410 median
- Occupational health and safety specialist $90,150 median
- Environmental scientist and specialist $82,220 median
- Chemist $91,240 median
- Clinical and counseling psychologist $100,580 median
- Biological technician $57,510 median
- School psychologist $95,990 median
- Chemical technician $60,390 median
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Physicists” (SOC 19-2012). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries
About the Job Salaries
Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.
How to use it
- 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
- 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
- 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
- 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physicist make an hour?
The median hourly wage for a physicist is $82.81, and the average is $82.30. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $39.48 an hour and the top 10% over $131.79.
How much does a physicist make a month?
At the median salary of $172,250, a physicist earns about $14,354 a month before tax, or $6,625 every two weeks.
Which state pays physicists the most?
Florida has the highest average pay for a physicist, at $219,910 a year. Next are New Hampshire and Oregon. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.
What is the starting salary for a physicist?
The lowest-paid 10% of physicists earn less than $82,110 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $111,720. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.
How much do the highest-paid physicists make?
The top 10% earn more than $274,110 a year, and the top 25% more than $222,760.
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