Physicist Salary
Physicists earn a median $172,250 a year nationally. Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
U.S. median
$172,250
$82.81 per hour
Range
$82,110 – $239,200+
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
20,430
across the U.S.
▲3.6%
Pay trend: The median for physicists in the U.S. rose from $166,290 (May 2024) to $172,250 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 1.2%.
What physicists do
Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories.
- Typical education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +7.2% (faster than average)
- Openings per year
- 1,300
- Self-employed
- 7%
Employment of physicists is projected to grow 7.2% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 1,300 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Physicist take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$128,999
per year · effective tax rate 25.1%
$10,750Monthly
$5,375Twice a month
$4,961Every 2 weeks
$62.02Hourly
- Federal income tax$30,074
- Social Security (6.2%)$10,680
- Medicare (1.45%)$2,498
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$128,999
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $82,110 | $39.48 | $66,594 |
| 25th percentile | $111,720 | $53.71 | $87,425 |
| Median (50th) | $172,250 | $82.81 | $128,999 |
| 75th percentile | $222,760 | $107.10 | $165,299 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $274,110+ | $131.78 | $198,957 |
Physicist salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $225,390 | +7.8% | $167,026 | $113,240 – $239,200+ | 340 |
| New Hampshire | $214,030 | +19.3% | $159,260 | $96,760 – $239,200+ | 30 |
| Pennsylvania | $210,990 | +1.2% | $150,544 | $88,300 – $239,200+ | 230 |
| California | $207,490 | +14.7% | $136,679 | $125,390 – $239,200+ | 5,930 |
| Oregon | $200,320 | +9.0% | $131,632 | $104,370 – $239,200+ | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $200,050 | +136.5% | $140,507 | $61,380 – $239,200+ | 40 |
| Texas | $184,040 | +8.0% | $137,057 | $69,960 – $239,200+ | 580 |
| New York | $181,970 | +4.5% | $125,947 | $80,000 – $239,200+ | 1,140 |
| Kentucky | $180,910 | +7.3% | $128,704 | $65,860 – $239,200+ | 50 |
| Connecticut | $180,300 | +5.1% | $125,833 | $104,750 – $239,200+ | 60 |
| Iowa | $178,110 | +47.4% | $126,888 | $83,830 – $239,200+ | 110 |
| Maryland | $174,390 | +6.4% | $122,220 | $105,560 – $219,450 | 1,200 |
| North Carolina | $174,180 | +2.0% | $123,877 | $64,050 – $239,200+ | 150 |
| Wisconsin | $173,120 | −0.5% | $121,799 | $89,310 – $239,200+ | 180 |
| Minnesota | $171,220 | −23.1% | $117,687 | $131,870 – $239,200+ | 110 |
| Louisiana | $166,240 | — | $120,290 | $85,360 – $214,090 | 40 |
| New Mexico | $165,340 | −6.0% | $117,505 | $120,720 – $235,180 | 580 |
| Tennessee | $165,010 | −5.0% | $124,050 | $88,610 – $239,200+ | 240 |
| New Jersey | $163,270 | −3.2% | $114,651 | $100,490 – $239,200+ | 470 |
| Ohio | $162,900 | +20.2% | $118,911 | $64,860 – $239,200+ | 630 |
| District of Columbia | $157,040 | +2.4% | $108,223 | $86,820 – $202,360 | 480 |
| Utah | $156,760 | +17.1% | $112,323 | $64,090 – $239,200+ | 30 |
| Rhode Island | $155,150 | — | $111,543 | $86,340 – $239,200+ | — |
| Nevada | $154,030 | +32.7% | $116,546 | $102,580 – $220,070 | 50 |
| Virginia | $145,040 | −11.7% | $102,875 | $97,720 – $238,570 | 940 |
| Georgia | $144,870 | +10.2% | $103,389 | $79,860 – $239,200+ | 160 |
| Missouri | $140,460 | −22.2% | $101,606 | $70,550 – $239,200+ | 90 |
| Alabama | $139,330 | +21.5% | $99,797 | $74,290 – $227,790 | 280 |
| South Carolina | $138,400 | +5.6% | $98,716 | $106,510 – $228,440 | 420 |
| Illinois | $137,140 | +4.5% | $98,358 | $81,830 – $221,380 | 1,590 |
| Arkansas | $135,820 | +3.0% | $99,015 | $110,390 – $214,000 | 60 |
| Idaho | $135,150 | +2.3% | $97,586 | $85,110 – $199,990 | — |
| Washington | $134,790 | +12.3% | $103,395 | $77,860 – $238,430 | 450 |
| Arizona | $130,500 | −31.7% | $97,409 | $102,160 – $239,200+ | 120 |
| Mississippi | $129,970 | +7.7% | $95,634 | $64,980 – $219,440 | 80 |
| Hawaii | $117,190 | — | $83,897 | $77,190 – $239,200+ | 40 |
| Massachusetts | $106,410 | −30.9% | $78,589 | $82,050 – $213,150 | 1,150 |
| Indiana | $105,940 | −4.0% | $80,263 | $64,000 – $220,040 | 230 |
| Colorado | $104,580 | −27.7% | $78,509 | $82,340 – $210,950 | 1,050 |
| Montana | $103,800 | — | $77,350 | $53,500 – $237,520 | 30 |
| Michigan | $94,520 | −12.2% | $71,558 | $64,380 – $239,200+ | 510 |
| South Dakota | $83,050 | +5.9% | $67,256 | $53,910 – $180,690 | 30 |
| Delaware | $82,590 | −0.2% | $62,822 | $64,570 – $239,200+ | 50 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astronomer | $128,820 | Doctoral or professional degree | +7.8% |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | $122,570 | Bachelor's degree | +2.1% |
| Materials Scientist | $117,790 | Bachelor's degree | +8.3% |
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $101,920 | Bachelor's degree | +5.1% |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientist | $99,070 | Bachelor's degree | +2.6% |
| Hydrologist | $96,600 | Bachelor's degree | +1.5% |
| Chemist | $91,240 | Bachelor's degree | +6.4% |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 | Bachelor's degree | +6.1% |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologist | $193,950 | Master's degree | +6.5% |
| Political Scientist | $142,080 | Master's degree | -2.0% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physicist make?
The national median salary for physicists is $172,250 a year ($82.81 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $82,110 and the top 10% earn over $239,200+. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays physicists the most?
Florida has the highest median pay at $225,390.
How many physicists are there in the U.S.?
About 20,430 people work as physicists nationwide.