Physics Teachers, Postsecondary Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for physics teachers, postsecondarys 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 $111,460 ≈ $54/hr
National median salary $100,310
Total employment 13,090 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +2.5%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 1,300 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 17,100 → 17,500 (+400)
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
- California$166,780
- New Hampshire$134,360
- Massachusetts$133,680
- Delaware$131,110
- Maryland$130,770
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$80,430
- Arkansas$83,160
- Florida$83,530
- Arizona$83,570
- South Dakota$84,720
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $166,780 | $139,420 | $80 | +49.6% | 1,130 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $134,360 | $99,050 | $65 | +20.5% | 40 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $133,680 | $111,280 | $64 | +19.9% | 680 |
| 4 | Delaware | $131,110 | $108,810 | $63 | +17.6% | 70 |
| 5 | Maryland | $130,770 | $110,980 | $63 | +17.3% | 300 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $128,500 | $112,410 | $62 | +15.3% | 260 |
| 7 | Iowa | $118,700 | $104,270 | $57 | +6.5% | 120 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $118,530 | $107,240 | $57 | +6.3% | 250 |
| 9 | Michigan | $115,750 | $109,090 | $56 | +3.8% | 460 |
| 10 | New York | $115,260 | $103,100 | $55 | +3.4% | 1,080 |
| 11 | Oregon | $113,730 | $104,320 | $55 | +2% | 230 |
| 12 | Maine | $112,110 | $104,270 | $54 | +0.6% | 60 |
| 13 | Georgia | $108,810 | $101,580 | $52 | -2.4% | 210 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $108,330 | $108,850 | $52 | -2.8% | 70 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $108,010 | $98,460 | $52 | -3.1% | 70 |
| 16 | Indiana | $107,750 | $102,970 | $52 | -3.3% | 270 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $106,360 | $89,630 | $51 | -4.6% | 210 |
| 18 | Virginia | $105,830 | $104,490 | $51 | -5.1% | 610 |
| 19 | Montana | $105,760 | $98,050 | $51 | -5.1% | 70 |
| 20 | Idaho | $105,510 | $106,040 | $51 | -5.3% | 50 |
| 21 | Texas | $104,240 | $97,760 | $50 | -6.5% | 1,110 |
| 22 | Illinois | $103,950 | $94,900 | $50 | -6.7% | 540 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $103,930 | $98,920 | $50 | -6.8% | 530 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $103,500 | $90,040 | $50 | -7.1% | 90 |
| 25 | Kansas | $102,360 | $97,140 | $49 | -8.2% | 110 |
| 26 | Missouri | $101,510 | $99,970 | $49 | -8.9% | 230 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $100,120 | $87,370 | $48 | -10.2% | 440 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $100,000 | $98,370 | $48 | -10.3% | 580 |
| 29 | Colorado | $99,950 | $99,280 | $48 | -10.3% | 280 |
| 30 | Nevada | $99,820 | $96,330 | $48 | -10.4% | 90 |
| 31 | Utah | $99,760 | $99,860 | $48 | -10.5% | 120 |
| 32 | Vermont | $99,180 | $98,390 | $48 | -11% | 50 |
| 33 | Washington | $98,420 | $96,930 | $47 | -11.7% | 310 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $97,790 | $98,320 | $47 | -12.3% | 50 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $97,590 | $80,630 | $47 | -12.4% | 340 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $96,420 | $101,700 | $46 | -13.5% | 40 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $93,030 | $85,190 | $45 | -16.5% | 130 |
| 38 | Ohio | $92,760 | $96,310 | $45 | -16.8% | 420 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $92,240 | $80,270 | $44 | -17.2% | 160 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $88,660 | $91,580 | $43 | -20.5% | 90 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $87,770 | $81,210 | $42 | -21.3% | 150 |
| 42 | Alabama | $87,430 | $82,750 | $42 | -21.6% | 170 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $84,720 | $86,010 | $41 | -24% | 30 |
| 44 | Arizona | $83,570 | $65,730 | $40 | -25% | 350 |
| 45 | Florida | $83,530 | $74,050 | $40 | -25.1% | 180 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $83,160 | $64,900 | $40 | -25.4% | 30 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $80,430 | $71,160 | $39 | -27.8% | 100 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 69 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $172,510 | $181,010 | 440 |
| 2 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $167,090 | $159,810 | 80 |
| 3 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $152,190 | $164,460 | 120 |
| 4 | Ann Arbor, MI | $141,400 | $140,250 | 80 |
| 5 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $139,400 | $156,870 | 60 |
| 6 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $138,980 | $139,850 | 50 |
| 7 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $133,360 | $164,980 | 70 |
| 8 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $132,790 | $125,420 | 80 |
| 9 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $130,310 | $132,920 | 160 |
| 10 | Lincoln, NE | $128,750 | $127,570 | 50 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing physics teachers, postsecondarys (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, State Government Owned | $103,670 | $113,090 | 6,410 |
| 2 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Local Government Owned | $103,310 | $113,200 | 430 |
| 3 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $101,860 | $114,240 | 11,100 |
| 4 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $101,580 | $109,220 | 7,140 |
| 5 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $101,580 | $109,220 | 7,140 |
| 6 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $101,260 | $109,290 | 8,800 |
| 7 | Educational Services | $100,310 | $111,460 | 13,090 |
| 8 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $100,310 | $111,460 | 13,090 |
| 9 | Sector 61 - Educational Services | $100,310 | $111,460 | 13,090 |
| 10 | Educational Services, Local Government Owned | $99,480 | $109,600 | 1,660 |
| 11 | Junior Colleges, Local Government Owned | $99,480 | $108,350 | 1,230 |
| 12 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $99,480 | $109,600 | 1,660 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do physics teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The median physics teachers, postsecondary salary in the United States is $100,310 per year (mean $111,460), and about 80% earn between $60,200 and $177,850.
How much do physics teachers, postsecondary make per hour?
Roughly $54 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $111,460 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays physics teachers, postsecondary the most?
California has the highest average pay for physics teachers, postsecondary at $166,780 per year (median $139,420).
What is the job outlook for physics teachers, postsecondary?
Employment is projected to change +2.5% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 1,300 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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