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Physicists

Explore national pay levels, state-by-state opportunities, and metro market strength for this occupation. CareerMatch combines salary and employment data to help users see where a career has the strongest footprint.

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Physicists

National Avg Annual Salary

$166,000

National Avg Hourly Wage

$79.81

National Total Employment

21,340

Top Metro Avg Salary

$222,180

Career Snapshot

Use these highlights to quickly understand where this occupation pays best and where it has the broadest employment base.

Highest Paying State

Minnesota leads this occupation with an average annual salary of $217,700.

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Largest State Market

California has one of the largest employment markets with 6,220 jobs.

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Highest Paying Metro Area

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN shows an average annual salary of $222,180.

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Largest Metro Market

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV has a broad labor footprint with 1,940 jobs.

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National vs Top Market Pay Comparison

Top States by Average Salary

Top Metro Areas by Average Salary

Top Metro Areas by Employment

Top States for Physicists

Ranked by average annual salary. Click the state name to open that state’s ranking page.

State State Code Avg Salary Total Jobs View
Minnesota MN $217,700 60 Open
Florida FL $199,040 240 Open
Connecticut CT $193,520 70 Open
Arizona AZ $188,610 70 Open
Pennsylvania PA $188,220 540 Open
Oregon OR $188,090 120 Open
California CA $187,720 6,220 Open
New Mexico NM $185,650 770 Open
New Hampshire NH $182,360 30 Open
Kentucky KY $178,660 30 Open