Average Physicists Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Physicists is $172,250 per year. The middle 50% earn between $111,720 and $222,760, with 20,430 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 44 states and 60 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Physicists pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $82,110
- 25th
- $111,720
- Median
- $172,250
- 75th
- $222,760
- 90th
- $274,110
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Physicists are among the highest-paid occupations tracked by BLS, well into the top decile of US wages.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two physicists at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for physicists from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +4.0%
- 1,000 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 1,700
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
Entry into this field typically requires a doctoral or professional degree, which helps explain the high wage level and relatively narrow candidate pool.
Where Physicists earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where physicists work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Florida at $225,390, about 30.9% above the national median. At the metro level, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL leads with a median of $272,480.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | $225,390 | 340 |
| New Hampshire | $214,030 | 30 |
| Pennsylvania | $210,990 | 230 |
| California | $207,490 | 5,930 |
| Oregon | $200,320 | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $200,050 | 40 |
| Texas | $184,040 | 580 |
| New York | $181,970 | 1,140 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $272,480 | 100 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $266,260 | 70 |
| Cleveland, OH | $239,360 | 240 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $236,920 | N/A |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $224,160 | 80 |
| Richmond, VA | $218,290 | 40 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $199,770 | 140 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $199,170 | 140 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see physicists pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Physicists rose from $122,850 to $172,250, a gain of +40.2% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $122,850 would need to be worth $154,702 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $172,250 is $17,548 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +11.3% in purchasing power.
Real wages have grown strongly, 11.3% above inflation. Workers in this field have meaningfully gained purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +40.2%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +11.3%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Physicists median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $172,250
- 2024
- $166,290
- 2023
- $155,680
- 2022
- $142,850
- 2021
- $152,430
- 2020
- $129,850
- 2019
- $122,850
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Astronomers
- $128,820
- Physical Scientists, All Other
- $122,570
- Materials Scientists
- $117,790
- Atmospheric And Space Scientists
- $99,070
- Hydrologists
- $96,600
- Chemists
- $91,240
Common salary questions for Physicists
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Physicists workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.