Physicists Salary in California
SOC 19-2012 · State · 2024 BLS OEWS
The median salary for a Physicists in California is $180,900 per year as of 2024. That works out to roughly $86.97 per hour. This is 9% above the national median of $166,290. 6,220 people work as Physicists in California. Wages have grown 66% since 2014, when the median was $108,880.
Median Annual Salary
$180,900
Mean Annual
$187,720
Median Hourly
$86.97
Total Employed
6,220
Location Quotient
2.49
Concentrated here
Salary Distribution
$104k
10th
$165k
25th
$181k
Median
$213k
75th
How This Compares
California
$180,900
this metro
United States
$166,290
you earn +9% vs US
Salary Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $180,900 |
| 2023 | $178,700 |
| 2022 | $170,490 |
| 2021 | $164,930 |
| 2020 | $113,280 |
| 2019 | $111,820 |
| 2018 | $112,980 |
| 2017 | $112,950 |
| 2016 | $109,880 |
| 2015 | $108,500 |
| 2014 | $108,880 |
Related Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations Jobs in California
Other occupations in the same group, sorted by salary.
| Psychologists, All Other | $147,650 |
| Astronomers | $142,060 |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | $140,540 |
| Materials Scientists | $131,530 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $131,430 |
| Political Scientists | $130,630 |