Physicists
SOC code 19-2012 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $82,110 | $39.48 |
| 25th percentile | $111,720 | $53.71 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $172,250 | $82.81 |
| 75th percentile | $222,760 | $107.10 |
| 90th percentile | $239,200+ | $115.00+ |
BLS top-codes wages at or above $239,200/yr ($115.00/hr); the exact value above this threshold is not published, so it is shown here as "$239,200+".
See where a wage ranks
Estimate only, based on linear interpolation between this occupation's BLS OEWS reported percentiles above.
Wages by state (May 2024)
State-level employment and wage estimates for Physicists (SOC 19-2012), from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) State estimates, May 2024. Data available for 40 of 51 states/DC for this occupation.
| State | Employment | Mean annual | Median annual | 10th pctl annual | 25th pctl annual | 75th pctl annual | 90th pctl annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 360 | $130,730 | $114,690 | $69,320 | $91,260 | $164,060 | $222,590 |
| Arizona | 70 | $188,610 | $190,960 | $107,240 | $140,090 | $220,950 | — |
| Arkansas | 80 | $139,970 | $131,880 | $104,200 | $104,200 | $165,690 | $213,030 |
| California | 6,220 | $187,720 | $180,900 | $103,800 | $164,550 | $212,900 | — |
| Colorado | 1,120 | $151,700 | $144,670 | $109,250 | $144,670 | $183,170 | $191,880 |
| Connecticut | 70 | $193,520 | $171,630 | $107,730 | $121,910 | — | — |
| Delaware | 40 | $145,140 | $82,780 | $66,190 | $66,190 | — | — |
| District of Columbia | 570 | $146,150 | $153,340 | $82,780 | $104,260 | $191,880 | $191,880 |
| Florida | 240 | $199,040 | $209,020 | $109,050 | $134,430 | — | — |
| Georgia | 190 | $159,690 | $131,500 | $77,740 | $100,860 | $221,230 | — |
| Idaho | 170 | $139,880 | $132,060 | $81,010 | $102,510 | $166,630 | $203,310 |
| Illinois | 1,660 | $130,060 | $131,260 | $78,410 | $78,590 | $167,280 | $207,880 |
| Indiana | 160 | $125,630 | $110,410 | $51,870 | $82,050 | $159,800 | $224,410 |
| Iowa | 120 | $157,580 | $120,810 | $62,500 | $86,830 | $224,050 | — |
| Kentucky | 30 | $178,660 | $168,660 | $95,760 | $150,720 | $208,980 | — |
| Maine | — | $130,330 | $114,610 | $55,300 | $104,770 | $197,360 | $225,430 |
| Maryland | 1,420 | $159,890 | $163,950 | $101,040 | $127,470 | $191,880 | $211,240 |
| Massachusetts | 570 | $153,660 | $153,890 | $92,350 | $105,210 | $192,850 | $222,390 |
| Michigan | 550 | $133,920 | $107,640 | $67,710 | $67,710 | $188,400 | $237,760 |
| Minnesota | 60 | $217,700 | $222,550 | $95,970 | $146,310 | — | — |
| Mississippi | 70 | $132,230 | $120,640 | $59,950 | $63,340 | $158,850 | $235,470 |
| Missouri | 90 | $163,820 | $180,450 | $83,760 | $98,620 | $217,500 | — |
| Nevada | — | $127,260 | $116,080 | $84,880 | $101,850 | $155,980 | $155,980 |
| New Hampshire | 30 | $182,360 | $179,440 | $67,670 | $137,370 | $221,970 | — |
| New Jersey | 320 | $177,610 | $168,610 | $98,030 | $127,910 | $225,950 | — |
| New Mexico | 770 | $185,650 | $175,960 | $134,310 | $143,170 | $219,440 | — |
| New York | 1,190 | $174,180 | $174,160 | $77,510 | $127,380 | $212,470 | — |
| North Carolina | 170 | $152,640 | $170,690 | $66,730 | $91,440 | $207,840 | — |
| Ohio | 710 | $143,270 | $135,550 | $49,180 | $98,360 | $198,690 | $225,930 |
| Oklahoma | 40 | $129,610 | $84,570 | $53,640 | $61,020 | $201,560 | $226,840 |
| Oregon | 120 | $188,090 | $183,860 | $79,580 | $102,150 | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | 540 | $188,220 | $208,470 | $76,860 | $156,140 | $231,510 | — |
| South Carolina | 370 | $153,260 | $131,100 | $101,940 | $104,770 | $163,260 | $222,210 |
| South Dakota | 30 | $104,100 | $78,390 | $51,000 | $62,590 | $129,600 | $172,940 |
| Tennessee | 260 | $163,690 | $173,660 | $64,930 | $125,370 | $226,750 | $226,750 |
| Texas | 700 | $171,790 | $170,450 | $71,650 | $102,740 | $229,970 | — |
| Utah | 60 | $147,660 | $133,900 | $56,020 | $61,490 | $210,760 | — |
| Virginia | 1,260 | $163,990 | $164,180 | $99,920 | $112,610 | $212,880 | — |
| Washington | 430 | $136,300 | $120,080 | $67,240 | $100,610 | $172,020 | $224,320 |
| Wisconsin | 220 | $173,010 | $174,010 | $84,480 | $129,070 | $213,560 | — |
Hourly by-state wages are in the source dataset but not rendered here (annual only, to keep this table a manageable width); see the source link below for the full file. BLS suppresses some state-level figures for reliability: an em dash (—) means BLS did not publish that figure for this state and occupation. Per BLS’s own field definitions: "*" = a wage estimate is not available; "**" = an employment estimate is not available; "#" = a wage equal to or greater than $115.00 per hour or $239,200 per year (all three are shown here as —, not guessed). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), State occupational employment and wage estimates, May 2024.
Similar-paying occupations in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologists 19-3032$193,950/yr
- Political Scientists 19-3094$142,080/yr
- Astronomers 19-2011$128,820/yr
- Biochemists and Biophysicists 19-1021$127,410/yr
- Economists 19-3011$124,720/yr
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 estimates. Wage figures are BLS OEWS estimates and may not reflect current pay.