Physicists earn a median of $172,250 per year ($82.81/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 7.2% through 2035, with about 1,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
- SOC 19-2012
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Physicist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $172,250a year, or $82.81/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $82KTop 10% $274K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +7.2%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+7.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +7.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,30023,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202523.2K
- Projected 203524.8K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 23.2K Projected 2035 24.8K - Typical education
- Doctorateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Bachelor's3.8%
- Post-master’s certificate8.1%
- Doctorate49%
- Post-doctoral training39.1%
Highest education held by physicists Segment Value Bachelor's 3.8% Post-master’s certificate 8.1% Doctorate 49% Post-doctoral training 39.1%
Also advertised as: Astrophysicist, Biophysics Scientist, Health Physicist, Medical Physicist, Research Physicist, Scientist.
Pay
How much do Physicists make?
Every physicist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$172,250
Middle half earn $111,720 to $222,760
- 10th
- $82,110
- 25th
- $111,720
- 75th
- $222,760
- 90th
- $274,110
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $82,110 |
| 25th | $111,720 |
| Median | $172,250 |
| 75th | $222,760 |
| 90th | $274,110 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $172,250
- Median hourly wage
- $82.81/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $171,180
- People employed
- 20,430
Versus all US occupations
At $172,250, Physicists earn 238% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $121,270 a year.
Versus life, physical, and social science occupations
Inside the Life, Physical, and Social Science group, where the middle occupation pays $82,220, this is 109% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $274,110 or more while the bottom 10% earn $82,110, a gap of 3.3×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 96% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Florida posts the highest raw median ($225,390), but once local prices are taken into account Oklahoma leads at $227,736 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Physicists the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Florida | $225,390 | $217,949 | 340 |
| 2New Hampshire | $214,030 | $205,472 | 30 |
| 3Pennsylvania | $210,990 | $216,240 | 230 |
| 4California | $207,490 | $187,401 | 5,930 |
| 5Oregon | $200,320 | $193,806 | 90 |
| 6Oklahoma | $200,050 | $227,736 | 40 |
| 7Texas | $184,040 | $189,621 | 580 |
| 8New York | $181,970 | $168,614 | 1,140 |
| 9Kentucky | $180,910 | $200,657 | 50 |
| 10Connecticut | $180,300 | $174,018 | 60 |
Job outlook
Is Physicist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +7.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Physicists | +7.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Physicists to change 7.2% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.1× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,300 openings are projected each year, 5.6% of the 23,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of physicists and astronomers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Deep-space telescope operations and special off-planet missions may require additional astronomers and physicists over the projections decade. Federal spending continues to be a primary source of physics- and astronomy-related research funds. The federal budget may directly impact employment growth.
Getting in
How to become a Physicist
Physicists and astronomers typically need a Ph.D. for jobs in research and academia. However, physicist jobs in the federal government typically require a bachelor’s degree in physics.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Doctoral or professional degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as physicists.
- Doctoral Degree49%
- Post-Doctoral Training39.1%
- Post-Master's Certificate8.1%
- Bachelor's Degree3.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Doctoral Degree | 49% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 39.1% |
| Post-Master's Certificate | 8.1% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 3.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Physicist do?
Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories.
Physicists and astronomers study the interactions of matter and energy. Theoretical physicists and astronomers may study the nature of time or the origin of the universe. Some physicists design and perform experiments with sophisticated equipment such as particle accelerators, electron microscopes, and lasers.
Day-to-day tasks
- Analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena.
- Report experimental results by writing papers for scientific journals or by presenting information at scientific conferences.
- Perform complex calculations as part of the analysis and evaluation of data, using computers.
- Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms.
- Collaborate with other scientists in the design, development, and testing of experimental, industrial, or medical equipment, instrumentation, and procedures.
- Design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood.
- Perform peer reviews of scientific papers.
- Write research proposals to receive funding.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most physicists and astronomers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Astronomers may need to do observation work at night. However, astronomers typically visit observatories only a few times per year.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where physicists work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences47%
- Federal government, excluding postal service21%
- Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state16%
- Self-employed workers6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences | 47% |
| Federal government, excluding postal service | 21% |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state | 16% |
| Self-employed workers | 6% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Science4.9
- Critical Thinking4.6
- Reading Comprehension4.5
- Speaking4.5
- Mathematics4.5
- Active Learning4.5
- Writing4.4
- Active Listening4.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Science | 4.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.6 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.5 |
| Speaking | 4.5 |
| Mathematics | 4.5 |
| Active Learning | 4.5 |
| Writing | 4.4 |
| Active Listening | 4.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving4.4
- Instructing3.9
- Programming3.8
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8
- Systems Evaluation3.6
- Systems Analysis3.5
- Social Perceptiveness3.3
- Coordination3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.4 |
| Instructing | 3.9 |
| Programming | 3.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.8 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.6 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.5 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Configuration management software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- Expert system software · in demand
- File versioning software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Physicist?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Physicist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 7 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Investigative7.0
- Realistic4.9
- Conventional4.8
- Artistic2.8
- Social2.1
- Enterprising1.8
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Physicist
O*NET related occupations
- Computer and Mathematical
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Computer and Mathematical
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
More life, physical, and social science careers
Median annual pay, with physicists highlighted
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologist$193,950
- Physicist$172,250
- Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists$103,410
- Chemist$91,240
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialist$90,150
- Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health$82,220
- Conservation Scientist$73,010
- Chemical Technician$60,390
- Biological Technician$57,510
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologist | $193,950 |
| Physicist | $172,250 |
| Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 |
| Chemist | $91,240 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialist | $90,150 |
| Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health | $82,220 |
| Conservation Scientist | $73,010 |
| Chemical Technician | $60,390 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Questions
Physicist: frequently asked questions
How much do Physicists make?
Physicists earn a median of $172,250 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 238% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $82.81/hr. The middle half earn between $111,720 and $222,760. The top 10% earn $274,110 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Physicist?
Yes, and beyond a bachelor's: BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry requirement for Physicists. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 49.0% hold doctoral degree.
Is Physicist a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 7.2% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Physicist do?
Physicists and astronomers study the interactions of matter and energy. A core O*NET task: analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Configuration management software.
Which states pay Physicists the most?
The highest state medians for Physicists are Florida ($225,390), New Hampshire ($214,030), Pennsylvania ($210,990) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Oklahoma moves to the top at $227,736.
What personality type suits a Physicist?
O*NET scores Physicists highest on the Investigative, Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are INTJ, ISTJ, ISTP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.