Physicist earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level physicist earnings begin at:

$119.47 per hour

$248,500 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level physicist earnings begin at:

$95.76 per hour

$199,170 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level physicist earnings begin at:

$45.44 per hour

$94,520 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level physicist earnings begin at:

$34.41 per hour

$71,580 per year

10th percentile

Starting level physicist earnings begin at:

$30.95 per hour

$64,380 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Physicist salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Michigan $94,520
South Dakota $83,050
Delaware $82,590
Vermont $79,110
Florida $225,390
New Hampshire $214,030
Pennsylvania $210,990
California $207,490
Oregon $200,320
Oklahoma $200,050
Kansas $193,110
Texas $184,040
New York $181,970
Kentucky $180,910
Connecticut $180,300
Iowa $178,110
Maryland $174,390
North Carolina $174,180
Wisconsin $173,120
Minnesota $171,220
Louisiana $166,240
New Mexico $165,340
Tennessee $165,010
New Jersey $163,270
Ohio $162,900
District of Columbia $157,040
Utah $156,760
Rhode Island $155,150
Nevada $154,030
Virginia $145,040
Georgia $144,870
Missouri $140,460
Alabama $139,330
South Carolina $138,400
Illinois $137,140
Arkansas $135,820
Idaho $135,150
Washington $134,790
Arizona $130,500
Mississippi $129,970
Hawaii $117,190
Massachusetts $106,410
Maine $106,020
Indiana $105,940
Colorado $104,580
Montana $103,800

How do physicist salaries compare to similar careers?

Physicists earn 9% more than similar careers in Michigan. On average, they make less than pharmacists but more than materials scientists.

Career Median Salary
Pharmacist salary $138K
Physicist salary $95K
Biochemical engineer salary $121K
Nanosystems engineer salary $121K
Nanotechnology engineer salary $121K
Materials scientist salary $107K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)