Physicist Salary in New York, NY
Physicists in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earn a median $181,970 a year — 6% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $125,947 take-home, or $10,496 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
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- Federal income tax$32,407
- Social Security (6.2%)$11,282
- Medicare (1.45%)$2,639
- New York income tax$9,696
- Take-home pay$125,947
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 5.90% state
The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro spans New York, New Jersey. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Physicist pay by experience in New York, NY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $87,300 | $41.97 | $66,128 | $5,511 |
| 25th percentile | $132,420 | $63.66 | $95,003 | $7,917 |
| Median (50th) | $181,970 | $87.49 | $125,947 | $10,496 |
| 75th percentile | $222,610 | $107.02 | $153,107 | $12,759 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $308,990+ | $148.55 | $202,806 | $16,900 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New York resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $181,970 buys in New York, NY
Prices in New York, NY are 12.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.49× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median physicist's $125,947 take-home pay has the buying power of $111,890 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Physicist jobs are about as common in New York, NY as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.86).
Best-paying cities for physicists, adjusted for cost of living
New York, NY ranks #1 of 7 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $181,970 | $125,947 | $111,890 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $171,580 | $116,925 | $107,385 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $173,450 | $115,663 | $104,745 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $160,270 | $108,052 | $95,144 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $137,140 | $98,358 | $94,944 |
| 6 | Boulder, CO | $104,580 | $78,509 | $74,627 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $106,000 | $78,321 | $72,341 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 7 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physicist make in New York, NY?
The median physicist salary in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area is $181,970 a year, or about $87.49 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $132,420 and $222,610.
What is a physicist’s take-home pay in New York, NY?
On the median $181,970 salary, a single filer living in New York takes home about $125,947 a year ($10,496 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $9,696 in New York taxes in 2026.
Is New York, NY a good place to work as a physicist?
Pay here is 6% above the national median of $172,250. Local prices are 12.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $111,890 would in a typical U.S. city. New York, NY ranks #1 of 7 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a physicist afford rent in New York, NY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in New York, NY is $2,378 a month ($2,697 for two bedrooms) — 23% of a median physicist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in New York, NY
- Economist — $176,090
- Physical Scientists, All Other — $139,560
- Psychologists, All Other — $132,220
- Materials Scientist — $120,650
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologist — $120,510
- School Psychologist — $117,540
- Biological Scientists, All Other — $111,380
- Biochemist and Biophysicist — $109,620
- Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other — $107,170
- Food Scientist and Technologist — $104,200
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists — $103,360
- Urban and Regional Planner — $99,150