Physical Scientists, All Other Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for physical scientists, all others across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$152,480
- Minnesota$151,450
- Florida$151,150
- Colorado$147,190
- California$143,310
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $152,480 | $156,730 | $73 | +18% | 790 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $151,450 | $147,890 | $73 | +17.2% | 540 |
| 3 | Florida | $151,150 | $131,690 | $73 | +17% | 340 |
| 4 | Colorado | $147,190 | $134,440 | $71 | +13.9% | 710 |
| 5 | California | $143,310 | $130,610 | $69 | +10.9% | 2,320 |
| 6 | Alabama | $142,930 | $135,350 | $69 | +10.6% | 140 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $142,660 | $134,780 | $69 | +10.4% | 460 |
| 8 | Maryland | $141,310 | $141,290 | $68 | +9.3% | 1,810 |
| 9 | Washington | $141,060 | $133,980 | $68 | +9.2% | 450 |
| 10 | South Carolina | $138,140 | $141,130 | $66 | +6.9% | 70 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $136,900 | $138,380 | $66 | +5.9% | 350 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $136,030 | $129,570 | $65 | +5.3% | 120 |
| 13 | Georgia | $132,380 | $137,680 | $64 | +2.4% | 1,020 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $129,820 | $112,370 | $62 | +0.5% | 210 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $129,640 | $123,820 | $62 | +0.3% | 240 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $129,560 | $99,990 | $62 | +0.3% | 370 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $128,190 | $147,650 | $62 | -0.8% | 70 |
| 18 | Arizona | $126,240 | $125,270 | $61 | -2.3% | 170 |
| 19 | New York | $121,990 | $117,820 | $59 | -5.6% | 1,510 |
| 20 | Alaska | $121,540 | $120,240 | $58 | -6% | 140 |
| 21 | Michigan | $120,940 | $118,870 | $58 | -6.4% | 130 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $117,520 | $109,990 | $57 | -9.1% | 590 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $117,230 | $112,260 | $56 | -9.3% | 80 |
| 24 | Utah | $115,940 | $115,920 | $56 | -10.3% | 250 |
| 25 | Ohio | $115,360 | $108,790 | $55 | -10.7% | 430 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $114,340 | $110,030 | $55 | -11.5% | 650 |
| 27 | Texas | $113,910 | $100,920 | $55 | -11.9% | 2,310 |
| 28 | Illinois | $113,840 | $108,970 | $55 | -11.9% | 580 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $113,530 | $112,880 | $55 | -12.1% | 100 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $110,780 | $97,470 | $53 | -14.3% | 70 |
| 31 | Oregon | $110,560 | $109,580 | $53 | -14.4% | 290 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $108,820 | $108,890 | $52 | -15.8% | 380 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $106,830 | $101,440 | $51 | -17.3% | 40 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $106,030 | $94,320 | $51 | -18% | 280 |
| 35 | Iowa | $101,240 | $80,810 | $49 | -21.7% | 100 |
| 36 | Montana | $90,150 | $94,520 | $43 | -30.2% | 100 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $80,840 | $81,260 | $39 | -37.4% | 260 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $77,340 | $69,240 | $37 | -40.2% | 60 |
| 39 | Indiana | $75,600 | $68,670 | $36 | -41.5% | 1,240 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 71 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $180,470 | $148,560 | 70 |
| 2 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $176,440 | $172,740 | 410 |
| 3 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $170,980 | $166,920 | 2,740 |
| 4 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $160,580 | $177,370 | 340 |
| 5 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $157,710 | $158,750 | 80 |
| 6 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $149,550 | $147,500 | 40 |
| 7 | Charlottesville, VA | $144,580 | $144,720 | 100 |
| 8 | Huntsville, AL | $142,650 | $154,990 | 70 |
| 9 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $142,080 | $140,240 | 120 |
| 10 | Boulder, CO | $141,320 | $147,980 | — |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing physical scientists, all others (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $226,640 | $204,740 | 910 |
| 2 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $221,110 | $207,850 | 960 |
| 3 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $216,640 | $207,540 | 970 |
| 4 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $185,810 | $162,400 | 40 |
| 5 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $185,810 | $162,400 | 40 |
| 6 | Sectors 31, 32, and 33 - Manufacturing | $178,720 | $191,320 | 1,380 |
| 7 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $176,440 | $188,610 | 400 |
| 8 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $176,440 | $188,610 | 400 |
| 9 | Sector 55 - Management of Companies and Enterprises | $176,440 | $188,610 | 400 |
| 10 | Engineering Services | $162,040 | $139,710 | 650 |
| 11 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | $160,420 | $173,970 | 40 |
| 12 | Machinery Manufacturing | $159,450 | $164,370 | 40 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do physical scientists, all other make in the U.S.?
The median physical scientists, all other salary in the United States is $122,570 per year (mean $129,230), and about 80% earn between $67,000 and $195,190.
How much do physical scientists, all other make per hour?
Roughly $62 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $129,230 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays physical scientists, all other the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for physical scientists, all other at $152,480 per year (median $156,730).
What is the job outlook for physical scientists, all other?
Employment is projected to change +0.6% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 2,000 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.