Physicists Salary: $166,290 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 21,340 physicists work nationally, and $166,290 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown rose about 22% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 5.2% annual growth.
Physicists: what the data shows
Common questions about physicists careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a physicists?
Physicists is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 19-2012.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 21,340 workers.
What does a physicists do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Analyzing Data or Information, Working with Computers, Getting Information, Processing Information, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a physicists make?
BLS national median annual wage: $166,290 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $192,822 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $106,621 |
| 25th percentile | $169,022 |
| Median (50th) | $185,816 |
| 75th percentile | $218,686 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Science, Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Active Learning, and knowledge areas including Physics, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology, Computers and Electronics. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is physicists in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 5.2% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 28.6%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 65.4%.
Current U.S. headcount: 21,340.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do physicistss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 21,340 | 16.3% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 15,820 | 12.1% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 11,260 | 8.6% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 11,260 | 8.6% |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 10,020 | 7.6% |
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | 10,010 | 7.6% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Physicists in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 75,710 | $155,020 |
| Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 43,640 | $39,270 |
| Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | 36,880 | $52,080 |
| Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 31,510 | $41,600 |
| Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance | 3,320 | $50,280 |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | 16,600 | $71,410 |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists | 34,520 | $103,650 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Physicists workforce.
Employment Over Time
21,340 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Physicists grew from 7,500 in 2009 to 16,780 in 2025 (123.7%).
Historical employment for Physicists from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$166,290 Median pay (BLS national)
Physicists earn $166,290 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Physicists.
Salary distribution for Physicists.
Employment Growth Projections
5.2% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
21,581 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 28.6%
27,757 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 65.4%
This occupation is projected to grow at 5.2% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Physicists.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Physicists and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Physicists employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Physicists.
Wage Trends by Industry
9.9% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Total, All Industry: -10.3% growth (Current: $208,270)
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Physicists.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Physicists.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 6,220 employees, $187,720 avg wage
- IL: 1,660 employees, $130,060 avg wage
- MD: 1,420 employees, $159,890 avg wage
- VA: 1,260 employees, $163,990 avg wage
- NY: 1,190 employees, $174,180 avg wage
- CO: 1,120 employees, $151,700 avg wage
- NM: 770 employees, $185,650 avg wage
- OH: 710 employees, $143,270 avg wage
- TX: 700 employees, $171,790 avg wage
- DC: 570 employees, $146,150 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Physicists.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 1,940 employees, $165,950 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 1,580 employees, $129,980 avg wage
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 960 employees, $187,560 avg wage
- Boulder, CO: 890 employees, $153,390 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 500 employees, $153,830 avg wage
- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD: 480 employees, $155,570 avg wage
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: 430 employees, $202,760 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA: 370 employees, $126,390 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 370 employees, $155,280 avg wage
- Albuquerque, NM: 360 employees, $169,950 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Physicists.
Diversity
Demographic information on Physicists in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Physicists is about 21,340 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Physicists.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Physicists.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Physicists.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Physicists in 2023 were Business Administration, Engineering, Business.
Common majors for Physicists.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Physicists workers.
Education level distribution for Physicists.
Skills
Physicists need many skills, but most especially Science, Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Critical Thinking.
Required skills for Physicists.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Physicists.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Physicists include Physics, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology, Computers and Electronics, English Language.
Knowledge areas required for Physicists.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Physicists include Mathematical Reasoning, Number Facility, Written Comprehension, Fluency of Ideas, Deductive Reasoning.
Required abilities for Physicists.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Physicists.
Daily Activities
Physicists spend their time on activities such as Analyzing Data or Information, Working with Computers, Getting Information, Processing Information, Making Decisions and Solving Problems.
Most important work activities for Physicists.
About
Physicists
Physicists earn $166,290 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
19-2012 - Physicists
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Physicists reports an average salary of $192,822, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 21,340 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 5.2%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.