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Physicists Salary
Physicists earn a median $172,250 a year in the U.S., with 20,430 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $172,250 a year
- Employment
- 20,430
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- +7.2%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 1,300
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $172,250 · $82.81 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $171,180 · $82.30 an hour (estimate error ±1.0%)
- 10th percentile
- $82,110 · $39.48 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $111,720 · $53.71 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $222,760 · $107.10 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $274,110 · $131.79 an hour
- Employment
- 20,430 (estimate error ±3.1%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories. Excludes “Biochemists and Biophysicists” (19-1021).
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 23,200
- Projected for 2035
- 24,800
- Change
- +1,700 (+7.2%)
- Openings each year
- 1,300
- Typical education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- Self-employed
- 7.0%
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | $225,390 | 340 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $214,030 | 30 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $210,990 | 230 |
| 4 | California | $207,490 | 5,930 |
| 5 | Oregon | $200,320 | 90 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | $200,050 | 40 |
| 7 | Texas | $184,040 | 580 |
| 8 | New York | $181,970 | 1,140 |
| 9 | Kentucky | $180,910 | 50 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $180,300 | 60 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| California | 5,930 | $207,490 |
| Illinois | 1,590 | $137,140 |
| Maryland | 1,200 | $174,390 |
| Massachusetts | 1,150 | $106,410 |
| New York | 1,140 | $181,970 |
| Colorado | 1,050 | $104,580 |
| Virginia | 940 | $145,040 |
| Ohio | 630 | $162,900 |
| New Mexico | 580 | $165,340 |
| Texas | 580 | $184,040 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $272,480 | 100 |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | $239,360 | 240 |
| 3 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $199,770 | 140 |
| 4 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $199,170 | 140 |
| 5 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $194,290 | 100 |
| 6 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $181,970 | 1,070 |
| 7 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $173,450 | 440 |
| 8 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $171,580 | 1,520 |
| 9 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $166,140 | 120 |
| 10 | Albuquerque, NM | $165,340 | 330 |
| 11 | Knoxville, TN | $165,010 | 120 |
| 12 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $164,850 | 150 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,520 | $171,580 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,510 | $137,140 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,070 | $181,970 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,060 | $106,000 |
| Boulder, CO | 860 | $104,580 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 550 | $160,270 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 440 | $173,450 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 330 | $165,340 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 290 | $156,480 |
| Cleveland, OH | 240 | $239,360 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 240 | $110,930 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 230 | $71,580 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- H-1B (FY 2026 through Q3)969 certified filingsMedian offered wage $87,000
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)23 certified filingsMedian offered wage $165,000
Physicists pay by state
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wisconsin
Related occupations
Frequently asked questions
- How much do physicists make?
- The median wage for physicists in the U.S. is $172,250 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $111,720 and $222,760.
- Which state pays physicists the most?
- Florida has the highest median wage for this occupation at $225,390 a year.
- What is the job outlook for physicists?
- BLS projects employment to grow 7.2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,300 openings each year on average.
- What education do physicists need?
- The typical entry-level education is: doctoral or professional degree.