The average salary for a physicist in the United States is around $122,850 per year.
Avg Salary
Physicists earn an average yearly salary of $122,850.
Wages typically start from $62,470 and go up to $201,990.
97% above national average Updated in 2019
Physicist earnings by seniority
Top-level physicist earnings begin at:
$97.11 per hour
$201,990 per year
Senior-level physicist earnings begin at:
$78.95 per hour
$164,210 per year
Mid-level physicist earnings begin at:
$59.06 per hour
$122,850 per year
Junior-level physicist earnings begin at:
$42.63 per hour
$88,670 per year
Starting level physicist earnings begin at:
$30.03 per hour
$62,470 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Physicist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $98,520 |
| Georgia | $97,540 |
| Mississippi | $94,160 |
| Oregon | $87,930 |
| Iowa | $86,840 |
| Michigan | $81,650 |
| Vermont | $79,110 |
| Indiana | $76,590 |
| Oklahoma | $170,280 |
| Wisconsin | $154,070 |
| New Mexico | $148,620 |
| District of Columbia | $146,890 |
| Massachusetts | $145,570 |
| Utah | $138,100 |
| North Carolina | $133,650 |
| Pennsylvania | $132,905 |
| Minnesota | $128,110 |
| Louisiana | $127,630 |
| New York | $126,740 |
| Tennessee | $126,500 |
| Maryland | $125,660 |
| Florida | $124,070 |
| New Hampshire | $122,340 |
| New Jersey | $119,930 |
| Ohio | $117,870 |
| Alabama | $116,490 |
| California | $112,980 |
| Texas | $112,420 |
| Illinois | $111,160 |
| Idaho | $111,110 |
| Missouri | $105,770 |
| Arizona | $105,565 |
| Maine | $105,400 |
| South Carolina | $104,700 |
| Washington | $103,900 |
| Virginia | $102,220 |
| Colorado | $100,850 |
How much does a Physicist earn?
Individuals with a physics degrees earn more, on average, than their fellow graduates in all but a handful of disciplines. According to a study by PayScale.com, physicists are the sixth-highest-earning group of graduates, with a median physicist salary of approximately $100,000 after at least ten years in the workforce. Physics was one of only three non-engineering majors to be in the top ten, along with computer science and economics. Starting physicists salaries aren’t bad either - approximately $55,000. (Please note that PayScale’s data set is based on information provided by users of the website, not a random sample of US graduates.
The top three industries where physicists work are in the federal government; research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences; and colleges, universities, and professional schools.
How do physicist salaries compare to similar careers?
Physicists earn 13% more than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make more than nanotechnology engineers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Physicist salary | $123K |
| Astronomer salary | $115K |
| Mathematician salary | $105K |
| Geologist salary | $92K |
| Nanotechnology engineer salary | $99K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)