Physicists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for physicistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $171,180 ≈ $82/hr
National median salary $172,250
Total employment 20,430 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +4%
Faster than average
Annual openings 1,700 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 24,600 → 25,600 (+1,000)
Typical entry education Doctoral or professional degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Florida$219,910
- New Hampshire$208,970
- Oregon$207,370
- California$201,930
- Minnesota$201,530
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- South Dakota$108,270
- Montana$125,680
- Colorado$128,830
- Massachusetts$130,250
- Indiana$132,050
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | $219,910 | $225,390 | $106 | +28.5% | 340 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $208,970 | $214,030 | $100 | +22.1% | 30 |
| 3 | Oregon | $207,370 | $200,320 | $100 | +21.1% | 90 |
| 4 | California | $201,930 | $207,490 | $97 | +18% | 5,930 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $201,530 | $171,220 | $97 | +17.7% | 110 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $200,450 | $180,300 | $96 | +17.1% | 60 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $191,120 | $210,990 | $92 | +11.6% | 230 |
| 8 | New York | $182,580 | $181,970 | $88 | +6.7% | 1,140 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $181,180 | $173,120 | $87 | +5.8% | 180 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $179,250 | $180,910 | $86 | +4.7% | 50 |
| 11 | Georgia | $179,130 | $144,870 | $86 | +4.6% | 160 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $177,940 | $117,190 | $86 | +3.9% | 40 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $176,680 | $165,340 | $85 | +3.2% | 580 |
| 14 | Texas | $176,530 | $184,040 | $85 | +3.1% | 580 |
| 15 | Iowa | $176,230 | $178,110 | $85 | +3% | 110 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $175,090 | $163,270 | $84 | +2.3% | 470 |
| 17 | Ohio | $172,300 | $162,900 | $83 | +0.7% | 630 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $171,070 | $165,010 | $82 | -0.1% | 240 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $169,270 | $155,150 | $81 | -1.1% | — |
| 20 | Maryland | $166,770 | $174,390 | $80 | -2.6% | 1,200 |
| 21 | Utah | $165,140 | $156,760 | $79 | -3.5% | 30 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $162,530 | $200,050 | $78 | -5.1% | 40 |
| 23 | Arizona | $159,730 | $130,500 | $77 | -6.7% | 120 |
| 24 | Virginia | $159,320 | $145,040 | $77 | -6.9% | 940 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $159,280 | $138,400 | $77 | -7% | 420 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $156,320 | $157,040 | $75 | -8.7% | 480 |
| 27 | Missouri | $156,130 | $140,460 | $75 | -8.8% | 90 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $153,120 | $174,180 | $74 | -10.6% | 150 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $152,750 | $166,240 | $73 | -10.8% | 40 |
| 30 | Nevada | $151,470 | $154,030 | $73 | -11.5% | 50 |
| 31 | Washington | $149,060 | $134,790 | $72 | -12.9% | 450 |
| 32 | Idaho | $148,780 | $135,150 | $72 | -13.1% | — |
| 33 | Alabama | $147,580 | $139,330 | $71 | -13.8% | 280 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $146,880 | $135,820 | $71 | -14.2% | 60 |
| 35 | Illinois | $139,780 | $137,140 | $67 | -18.3% | 1,590 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $137,740 | $129,970 | $66 | -19.5% | 80 |
| 37 | Michigan | $135,340 | $94,520 | $65 | -20.9% | 510 |
| 38 | Delaware | $133,760 | $82,590 | $64 | -21.9% | 50 |
| 39 | Indiana | $132,050 | $105,940 | $63 | -22.9% | 230 |
| 40 | Massachusetts | $130,250 | $106,410 | $63 | -23.9% | 1,150 |
| 41 | Colorado | $128,830 | $104,580 | $62 | -24.7% | 1,050 |
| 42 | Montana | $125,680 | $103,800 | $60 | -26.6% | 30 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $108,270 | $83,050 | $52 | -36.8% | 30 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 63 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $272,480 | $245,010 | 100 |
| 2 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $266,260 | $244,380 | 70 |
| 3 | Cleveland, OH | $239,360 | $209,480 | 240 |
| 4 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $236,920 | $208,700 | — |
| 5 | Pittsburgh, PA | $224,160 | $211,220 | 80 |
| 6 | Richmond, VA | $218,290 | $202,250 | 40 |
| 7 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $199,770 | $196,520 | 140 |
| 8 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $199,170 | $186,150 | 140 |
| 9 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $194,290 | $191,070 | 100 |
| 10 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $181,970 | $191,320 | 1,070 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing physicistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals, Privately Owned | $254,520 | $243,420 | — |
| 2 | Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | $242,770 | $233,840 | 310 |
| 3 | Ambulatory Health Care Services | $239,360 | $239,950 | 840 |
| 4 | Offices of Physicians | $239,360 | $242,890 | 740 |
| 5 | Sector 62 - Health Care and Social Assistance | $239,360 | $238,890 | 2,750 |
| 6 | Hospitals, Privately Owned | $239,240 | $239,490 | 1,730 |
| 7 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, Privately Owned | $238,030 | $238,850 | 1,490 |
| 8 | Hospitals, Local Government Owned | $238,010 | $280,480 | 70 |
| 9 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, Local Government Owned | $238,010 | $280,490 | 70 |
| 10 | Hospitals | $237,970 | $238,430 | 1,920 |
| 11 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $237,010 | $239,300 | 1,610 |
| 12 | Employment Services | $235,090 | $227,780 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do physicists make in the U.S.?
The median physicists salary in the United States is $172,250 per year (mean $171,180), and about 80% earn between $82,110 and $274,110.
How much do physicists make per hour?
Roughly $82 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $171,180 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays physicists the most?
Florida has the highest average pay for physicists at $219,910 per year (median $225,390).
What is the job outlook for physicists?
Employment is projected to change +4% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 1,700 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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