Physicists
Physicists (SOC 19-2012) earn a median $172,250 a year ($82.81 an hour) in the United States, with 20,430 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Florida.
What physicists do
Physicists study matter, energy, and the forces that act on them, from subatomic particles to the large-scale structure of the universe, and develop theories that explain what they observe. Some do basic research that has no immediate application; others apply physical laws to practical problems. Typical tasks include analyzing experimental data to detect and measure physical phenomena, doing the complex calculations behind that analysis with computers, expressing observations and conclusions in mathematical terms, and building computer simulations that model physical systems so they can be better understood. Physicists also write research proposals to obtain funding, teach physics, and report results in papers for scientific journals or in presentations. The category excludes biochemists and biophysicists, who study physical principles of living systems and are counted with life scientists. It differs from engineers, who design products, and from astronomers, who study celestial objects.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a doctoral degree.
Also called: Astrophysicist, Atmospheric Physicist, Atomic Spectroscopist, Aerophysicist, Aerodynamicist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $39.48 | $53.71 | $82.81 | $107.10 | $131.79 | $82.30 | 20,430 |
| Annual | $82,110 | $111,720 | $172,250 | $222,760 | $274,110 | $171,180 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where physicists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | $54.44 | $74.03 | $108.36 | $137.21 | $148.36 | $105.73 | 340 | 0.04 | 0.26 |
| Annual | $113,240 | $153,980 | $225,390 | $285,400 | $308,580 | $219,910 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $46.52 | $69.82 | $102.90 | $128.66 | $144.98 | $100.46 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $96,760 | $145,220 | $214,030 | $267,600 | $301,570 | $208,970 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $42.45 | $72.57 | $101.44 | $111.15 | $125.87 | $91.89 | 230 | 0.04 | 0.28 |
| Annual | $88,300 | $150,950 | $210,990 | $231,190 | $261,820 | $191,120 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $60.28 | $83.39 | $99.75 | $107.10 | $142.66 | $97.08 | 5,930 | 0.33 | 2.48 |
| Annual | $125,390 | $173,450 | $207,490 | $222,760 | $296,740 | $201,930 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $50.18 | $71.54 | $96.31 | $133.58 | $151.88 | $99.70 | 90 | 0.04 | 0.33 |
| Annual | $104,370 | $148,800 | $200,320 | $277,840 | $315,910 | $207,370 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $60.28 | $83.39 | $99.75 | $107.10 | $142.66 | $97.08 | 5,930 | 0.33 | 2.48 |
| Annual | $125,390 | $173,450 | $207,490 | $222,760 | $296,740 | $201,930 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $39.34 | $39.48 | $65.93 | $84.38 | $106.43 | $67.20 | 1,590 | 0.26 | 1.99 |
| Annual | $81,830 | $82,110 | $137,140 | $175,510 | $221,380 | $139,780 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $50.75 | $63.73 | $83.84 | $93.84 | $105.51 | $80.18 | 1,200 | 0.43 | 3.30 |
| Annual | $105,560 | $132,560 | $174,390 | $195,190 | $219,450 | $166,770 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $39.45 | $39.46 | $51.16 | $81.82 | $102.48 | $62.62 | 1,150 | 0.32 | 2.41 |
| Annual | $82,050 | $82,070 | $106,410 | $170,190 | $213,150 | $130,250 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $38.46 | $63.27 | $87.48 | $106.53 | $140.84 | $87.78 | 1,140 | 0.12 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $80,000 | $131,600 | $181,970 | $221,590 | $292,950 | $182,580 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $91.68 | $91.68 | $131.00 | $137.21 | $150.19 | $117.79 | 100 | 0.04 | 0.27 |
| Annual | $190,690 | $190,690 | $272,480 | $285,400 | $312,400 | $245,010 | ||||
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | Hourly | $60.66 | $106.84 | $128.01 | $144.24 | $148.36 | $117.49 | 70 | 0.05 | 0.35 |
| Annual | $126,170 | $222,230 | $266,260 | $300,030 | $308,580 | $244,380 | ||||
| Cleveland, OH | Hourly | $51.50 | $88.54 | $115.08 | $115.08 | $115.08 | $100.71 | 240 | 0.23 | 1.75 |
| Annual | $107,120 | $184,170 | $239,360 | $239,360 | $239,360 | $209,480 | ||||
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | Hourly | $31.20 | $113.90 | $113.90 | $113.90 | $128.98 | $100.34 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $64,900 | $236,920 | $236,920 | $236,920 | $268,270 | $208,700 | ||||
| Pittsburgh, PA | Hourly | $66.35 | $93.84 | $107.77 | $116.04 | $128.03 | $101.55 | 80 | 0.07 | 0.54 |
| Annual | $138,010 | $195,190 | $224,160 | $241,360 | $266,300 | $211,220 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $47.57 | $64.90 | $82.49 | $93.84 | $108.50 | $81.57 | 1,520 | 0.49 | 3.69 |
| Annual | $98,950 | $134,990 | $171,580 | $195,190 | $225,680 | $169,660 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $39.34 | $39.48 | $65.93 | $84.38 | $106.43 | $66.80 | 1,510 | 0.33 | 2.54 |
| Annual | $81,830 | $82,110 | $137,140 | $175,510 | $221,380 | $138,950 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $41.97 | $63.66 | $87.48 | $107.02 | $148.55 | $91.98 | 1,070 | 0.11 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $87,300 | $132,420 | $181,970 | $222,610 | $308,990 | $191,320 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $39.45 | $39.46 | $50.96 | $81.82 | $102.48 | $62.42 | 1,060 | 0.39 | 2.98 |
| Annual | $82,050 | $82,070 | $106,000 | $170,190 | $213,150 | $129,840 | ||||
| Boulder, CO | Hourly | $39.59 | $39.59 | $50.28 | $80.89 | $93.84 | $59.20 | 860 | 4.45 | 33.89 |
| Annual | $82,340 | $82,340 | $104,580 | $168,240 | $195,190 | $123,130 | ||||
Top industries employing physicists
Scientific Research and Development Services employ 43.2% of physicists nationally (8,830 jobs) at a median $176,170 a year ($84.70 an hour), followed by Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (15.5%) and Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) (14.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 8,830 | 43.2% | $176,170 | $84.70 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 3,160 | 15.5% | $103,590 | $49.80 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 2,910 | 14.2% | $146,900 | $70.63 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 1,610 | 7.9% | $237,010 | $113.95 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 750 | 3.7% | $170,680 | $82.06 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (20,430). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $152,430 for physicists in May 2021 and $172,250 in May 2025, with employment of 20,020 and 20,430.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $152,430 | $73.29 | 20,020 |
| May 2022 | $142,850 | $68.68 | 18,840 |
| May 2023 | $155,680 | $74.85 | 18,350 |
| May 2024 | $166,290 | $79.95 | 21,340 |
| May 2025 | $172,250 | $82.81 | 20,430 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
44 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida profile | $108.36 | $225,390 | $113,240 | $308,580 | 340 | 0.04 | 0.26 |
| 2 | New Hampshire profile | $102.90 | $214,030 | $96,760 | $301,570 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.38 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania profile | $101.44 | $210,990 | $88,300 | $261,820 | 230 | 0.04 | 0.28 |
| 4 | California profile | $99.75 | $207,490 | $125,390 | $296,740 | 5,930 | 0.33 | 2.48 |
| 5 | Oregon profile | $96.31 | $200,320 | $104,370 | $315,910 | 90 | 0.04 | 0.33 |
| 6 | Oklahoma profile | $96.18 | $200,050 | $61,380 | $249,780 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.19 |
| 7 | Texas profile | $88.48 | $184,040 | $69,960 | $289,950 | 580 | 0.04 | 0.31 |
| 8 | New York profile | $87.48 | $181,970 | $80,000 | $292,950 | 1,140 | 0.12 | 0.90 |
| 9 | Kentucky profile | $86.98 | $180,910 | $65,860 | $282,000 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.18 |
| 10 | Connecticut profile | $86.68 | $180,300 | $104,750 | $303,910 | 60 | 0.04 | 0.28 |
| 11 | Iowa profile | $85.63 | $178,110 | $83,830 | $292,990 | 110 | 0.07 | 0.55 |
| 12 | Maryland profile | $83.84 | $174,390 | $105,560 | $219,450 | 1,200 | 0.43 | 3.30 |
| 13 | North Carolina profile | $83.74 | $174,180 | $64,050 | $256,860 | 150 | 0.03 | 0.23 |
| 14 | Wisconsin profile | $83.23 | $173,120 | $89,310 | $291,910 | 180 | 0.06 | 0.47 |
| 15 | Minnesota profile | $82.32 | $171,220 | $131,870 | $336,740 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.29 |
| 16 | Louisiana profile | $79.92 | $166,240 | $85,360 | $214,090 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.15 |
| 17 | New Mexico profile | $79.49 | $165,340 | $120,720 | $235,180 | 580 | 0.67 | 5.07 |
| 18 | Tennessee profile | $79.33 | $165,010 | $88,610 | $239,850 | 240 | 0.07 | 0.55 |
| 19 | New Jersey profile | $78.49 | $163,270 | $100,490 | $289,830 | 470 | 0.11 | 0.83 |
| 20 | Ohio profile | $78.32 | $162,900 | $64,860 | $239,360 | 630 | 0.11 | 0.87 |
| 21 | District of Columbia profile | $75.50 | $157,040 | $86,820 | $202,360 | 480 | 0.69 | 5.24 |
| 22 | Utah profile | $75.37 | $156,760 | $64,090 | $258,690 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.14 |
| 23 | Rhode Island profile | $74.59 | $155,150 | $86,340 | $298,000 | ** | ** | ** |
| 24 | Nevada profile | $74.05 | $154,030 | $102,580 | $220,070 | 50 | 0.04 | 0.27 |
| 25 | Virginia profile | $69.73 | $145,040 | $97,720 | $238,570 | 940 | 0.23 | 1.74 |
| 26 | Georgia profile | $69.65 | $144,870 | $79,860 | $288,170 | 160 | 0.03 | 0.25 |
| 27 | Missouri profile | $67.53 | $140,460 | $70,550 | $276,590 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.22 |
| 28 | Alabama profile | $66.98 | $139,330 | $74,290 | $227,790 | 280 | 0.13 | 1.00 |
| 29 | South Carolina profile | $66.54 | $138,400 | $106,510 | $228,440 | 420 | 0.18 | 1.38 |
| 30 | Illinois profile | $65.93 | $137,140 | $81,830 | $221,380 | 1,590 | 0.26 | 1.99 |
| 31 | Arkansas profile | $65.30 | $135,820 | $110,390 | $214,000 | 60 | 0.05 | 0.36 |
| 32 | Idaho profile | $64.97 | $135,150 | $85,110 | $199,990 | ** | ** | ** |
| 33 | Washington profile | $64.81 | $134,790 | $77,860 | $238,430 | 450 | 0.13 | 0.96 |
| 34 | Arizona profile | $62.74 | $130,500 | $102,160 | $242,730 | 120 | 0.04 | 0.29 |
| 35 | Mississippi profile | $62.49 | $129,970 | $64,980 | $219,440 | 80 | 0.07 | 0.55 |
| 36 | Hawaii profile | $56.34 | $117,190 | $77,190 | $383,510 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.46 |
| 37 | Massachusetts profile | $51.16 | $106,410 | $82,050 | $213,150 | 1,150 | 0.32 | 2.41 |
| 38 | Indiana profile | $50.93 | $105,940 | $64,000 | $220,040 | 230 | 0.07 | 0.54 |
| 39 | Colorado profile | $50.28 | $104,580 | $82,340 | $210,950 | 1,050 | 0.36 | 2.77 |
| 40 | Montana profile | $49.90 | $103,800 | $53,500 | $237,520 | 30 | 0.07 | 0.51 |
| 41 | Michigan profile | $45.44 | $94,520 | $64,380 | $248,500 | 510 | 0.12 | 0.89 |
| 42 | South Dakota profile | $39.93 | $83,050 | $53,910 | $180,690 | 30 | 0.08 | 0.58 |
| 43 | Delaware profile | $39.71 | $82,590 | $64,570 | $293,950 | 50 | 0.10 | 0.72 |
| – | Maine profile | * | * | * | * | 60 | 0.09 | 0.70 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (19-2010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 19-2012 Physicists.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 19-2012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-2012.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.