Physicists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for physicists is $172,250, or $82.81 per hour. About 20,430 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $225,390 in Florida to $82,590 in Delaware.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 43 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | $225,390 | $108.36 | 340 | 0.26 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $214,030 | $102.90 | 30 | 0.38 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $210,990 | $101.44 | 230 | 0.28 |
| 4 | California | $207,490 | $99.75 | 5,930 | 2.48 |
| 5 | Oregon | $200,320 | $96.31 | 90 | 0.33 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | $200,050 | $96.18 | 40 | 0.19 |
| 7 | Texas | $184,040 | $88.48 | 580 | 0.31 |
| 8 | New York | $181,970 | $87.48 | 1,140 | 0.90 |
| 9 | Kentucky | $180,910 | $86.98 | 50 | 0.18 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $180,300 | $86.68 | 60 | 0.28 |
| 11 | Iowa | $178,110 | $85.63 | 110 | 0.55 |
| 12 | Maryland | $174,390 | $83.84 | 1,200 | 3.30 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $174,180 | $83.74 | 150 | 0.23 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $173,120 | $83.23 | 180 | 0.47 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $171,220 | $82.32 | 110 | 0.29 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $166,240 | $79.92 | 40 | 0.15 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $165,340 | $79.49 | 580 | 5.07 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $165,010 | $79.33 | 240 | 0.55 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $163,270 | $78.49 | 470 | 0.83 |
| 20 | Ohio | $162,900 | $78.32 | 630 | 0.87 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $157,040 | $75.50 | 480 | 5.24 |
| 22 | Utah | $156,760 | $75.37 | 30 | 0.14 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $155,150 | $74.59 | — | — |
| 24 | Nevada | $154,030 | $74.05 | 50 | 0.27 |
| 25 | Virginia | $145,040 | $69.73 | 940 | 1.74 |
| 26 | Georgia | $144,870 | $69.65 | 160 | 0.25 |
| 27 | Missouri | $140,460 | $67.53 | 90 | 0.22 |
| 28 | Alabama | $139,330 | $66.98 | 280 | 1.00 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $138,400 | $66.54 | 420 | 1.38 |
| 30 | Illinois | $137,140 | $65.93 | 1,590 | 1.99 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $135,820 | $65.30 | 60 | 0.36 |
| 32 | Idaho | $135,150 | $64.97 | — | — |
| 33 | Washington | $134,790 | $64.81 | 450 | 0.96 |
| 34 | Arizona | $130,500 | $62.74 | 120 | 0.29 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $129,970 | $62.49 | 80 | 0.55 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $117,190 | $56.34 | 40 | 0.46 |
| 37 | Massachusetts | $106,410 | $51.16 | 1,150 | 2.41 |
| 38 | Indiana | $105,940 | $50.93 | 230 | 0.54 |
| 39 | Colorado | $104,580 | $50.28 | 1,050 | 2.77 |
| 40 | Montana | $103,800 | $49.90 | 30 | 0.51 |
| 41 | Michigan | $94,520 | $45.44 | 510 | 0.89 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $83,050 | $39.93 | 30 | 0.58 |
| 43 | Delaware | $82,590 | $39.71 | 50 | 0.72 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do physicists make?
The median annual wage for physicists in the United States is $172,250, or $82.81 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $82,110, and the top 10% earn $274,110.
How many physicists are employed in the U.S.?
About 20,430 people work as physicists nationwide.
Which state pays physicists the most?
Florida pays the most at a median of $225,390, followed by New Hampshire ($214,030) and Pennsylvania ($210,990).
Which state pays physicists the least?
Delaware has the lowest median at $82,590.
Where are physicists jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 5.24×.