Physicists Salary in U.S.
SOC 19-2012 · National · 2024 BLS OEWS
The median salary for a Physicists in U.S. is $166,290 per year as of 2024. That works out to roughly $79.95 per hour. 21,340 people work as Physicists in U.S.. Wages have grown 35% since 2019, when the median was $122,850.
Median Annual Salary
$166,290
Mean Annual
$166,000
Median Hourly
$79.95
Total Employed
21,340
Salary Distribution
$80k
10th
$117k
25th
$166k
Median
$210k
75th
Salary by Industry
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | $236,130 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | $225,930 |
| Offices of Physicians | $225,930 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $225,930 |
| Hospitals | $222,390 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $221,230 |
| Employment Services | $219,760 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $212,960 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $211,990 |
| Wholesale Trade | $206,320 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $206,320 |
| Temporary Help Services | $191,350 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $191,350 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | $171,070 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | $171,070 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $170,480 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $170,480 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $170,480 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $169,810 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $167,980 |
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $167,980 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $166,290 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $166,290 |
| Manufacturing | $163,680 |
| Engineering Services | $158,490 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $155,980 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | $151,850 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $148,490 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $143,170 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $143,170 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $143,110 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | $136,780 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $135,820 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $135,820 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $133,000 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | $131,500 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $127,690 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $120,680 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $109,250 |
| Educational Services | $109,250 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $107,780 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $104,260 |
| Educational Services | $104,260 |
| Utilities | $104,200 |
| Utilities | $104,200 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $104,200 |
| Nuclear Electric Power Generation | $104,200 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $102,610 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $82,720 |
Salary Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $166,290 |
| 2023 | $155,680 |
| 2022 | $142,850 |
| 2021 | $152,430 |
| 2020 | $129,850 |
| 2019 | $122,850 |
Related Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations Jobs in U.S.
Other occupations in the same group, sorted by salary.
| Political Scientists | $139,380 |
| Astronomers | $132,170 |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | $117,960 |
| Psychologists, All Other | $117,580 |
| Economists | $115,440 |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | $109,840 |