Physicists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $82,110 | $39.48 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $172,250 | $82.81 |
| Mean (average) | $171,180 | $82.30 |
| 90th percentile | $274,110 | $131.79 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Physicists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 44 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $139,330 | $74,290 | $227,790 | 280 | 1 |
| Arizona | $130,500 | $102,160 | $242,730 | 120 | 0.29 |
| Arkansas | $135,820 | $110,390 | $214,000 | 60 | 0.36 |
| California | $207,490 | $125,390 | $296,740 | 5,930 | 2.48 |
| Colorado | $104,580 | $82,340 | $210,950 | 1,050 | 2.77 |
| Connecticut | $180,300 | $104,750 | $303,910 | 60 | 0.28 |
| Delaware | $82,590 | $64,570 | $293,950 | 50 | 0.72 |
| District of Columbia | $157,040 | $86,820 | $202,360 | 480 | 5.24 |
| Florida | $225,390 | $113,240 | $308,580 | 340 | 0.26 |
| Georgia | $144,870 | $79,860 | $288,170 | 160 | 0.25 |
| Hawaii | $117,190 | $77,190 | $383,510 | 40 | 0.46 |
| Idaho | $135,150 | $85,110 | $199,990 | ||
| Illinois | $137,140 | $81,830 | $221,380 | 1,590 | 1.99 |
| Indiana | $105,940 | $64,000 | $220,040 | 230 | 0.54 |
| Iowa | $178,110 | $83,830 | $292,990 | 110 | 0.55 |
| Kentucky | $180,910 | $65,860 | $282,000 | 50 | 0.18 |
| Louisiana | $166,240 | $85,360 | $214,090 | 40 | 0.15 |
| Maine | Data unavailable | 60 | 0.7 | ||
| Maryland | $174,390 | $105,560 | $219,450 | 1,200 | 3.3 |
| Massachusetts | $106,410 | $82,050 | $213,150 | 1,150 | 2.41 |
| Michigan | $94,520 | $64,380 | $248,500 | 510 | 0.89 |
| Minnesota | $171,220 | $131,870 | $336,740 | 110 | 0.29 |
| Mississippi | $129,970 | $64,980 | $219,440 | 80 | 0.55 |
| Missouri | $140,460 | $70,550 | $276,590 | 90 | 0.22 |
| Montana | $103,800 | $53,500 | $237,520 | 30 | 0.51 |
| Nevada | $154,030 | $102,580 | $220,070 | 50 | 0.27 |
| New Hampshire | $214,030 | $96,760 | $301,570 | 30 | 0.38 |
| New Jersey | $163,270 | $100,490 | $289,830 | 470 | 0.83 |
| New Mexico | $165,340 | $120,720 | $235,180 | 580 | 5.07 |
| New York | $181,970 | $80,000 | $292,950 | 1,140 | 0.9 |
| North Carolina | $174,180 | $64,050 | $256,860 | 150 | 0.23 |
| Ohio | $162,900 | $64,860 | $239,360 | 630 | 0.87 |
| Oklahoma | $200,050 | $61,380 | $249,780 | 40 | 0.19 |
| Oregon | $200,320 | $104,370 | $315,910 | 90 | 0.33 |
| Pennsylvania | $210,990 | $88,300 | $261,820 | 230 | 0.28 |
| Rhode Island | $155,150 | $86,340 | $298,000 | ||
| South Carolina | $138,400 | $106,510 | $228,440 | 420 | 1.38 |
| South Dakota | $83,050 | $53,910 | $180,690 | 30 | 0.58 |
| Tennessee | $165,010 | $88,610 | $239,850 | 240 | 0.55 |
| Texas | $184,040 | $69,960 | $289,950 | 580 | 0.31 |
| Utah | $156,760 | $64,090 | $258,690 | 30 | 0.14 |
| Virginia | $145,040 | $97,720 | $238,570 | 940 | 1.74 |
| Washington | $134,790 | $77,860 | $238,430 | 450 | 0.96 |
| Wisconsin | $173,120 | $89,310 | $291,910 | 180 | 0.47 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for physicists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 7%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for physicists
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Engineering Physics/Applied Physics CIP 14.1201
- Astrophysics CIP 40.0202
- Physics, General CIP 40.0801
- Atomic/Molecular Physics CIP 40.0802
- Elementary Particle Physics CIP 40.0804
- Plasma and High-Temperature Physics CIP 40.0805
- Nuclear Physics CIP 40.0806
- Optics/Optical Sciences CIP 40.0807
- Condensed Matter and Materials Physics CIP 40.0808
- Acoustics CIP 40.0809
- Theoretical and Mathematical Physics CIP 40.0810
- Physics, Other CIP 40.0899
- Physics and Astronomy CIP 40.1101
- Health/Medical Physics CIP 51.2205
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena.
- Report experimental results by writing papers for scientific journals or by presenting information at scientific conferences.
- Perform complex calculations as part of the analysis and evaluation of data, using computers.
- Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms.
- Collaborate with other scientists in the design, development, and testing of experimental, industrial, or medical equipment, instrumentation, and procedures.
- Observe the structure and properties of matter, and the transformation and propagation of energy, using equipment such as masers, lasers, and telescopes, to explore and identify the basic principles governing these phenomena.
- Write research proposals to receive funding.
- Design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood.
Technology skills
- Eclipse IDE (in demand)
- Python (in demand)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Amazon Web Services AWS software (hot technology)
- Ansible software (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- C (hot technology)
- C++ (hot technology)
- Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- Git (hot technology)
- JavaScript (hot technology)
- Linux (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Azure software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Instructing, Programming, Judgment and Decision Making, Systems Evaluation, Systems Analysis.
Common job titles: Astrophysicist, Biophysics Scientist, Health Physicist, Medical Physicist, Research Physicist, Scientist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do physicists make?
The national median annual wage for physicists was $172,250 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $82,110 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $274,110. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do physicists need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is physicists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of physicists to change +7.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay physicists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Florida ($225,390), New Hampshire ($214,030), Pennsylvania ($210,990). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.