Pay by state · 48 states
Physics Teacher, Postsecondary Salary by State (2026)
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary earn the most in California at $139,420 a year and the least in Arkansas at $64,900 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $100,310. All 48 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $139,420California
- National median
- $100,310BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $64,900Arkansas
- States reporting
- 48of 54 OEWS areas
All states
Physics Teacher, Postsecondary salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of physics teachers, postsecondary OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CACalifornia | $139,420 | $105,810 | $213,730 | 1,130 | $125,921 |
| 2 | CTConnecticut | $112,410 | $78,820 | $160,000 | 260 | $108,493 |
| 3 | MAMassachusetts | $111,280 | $80,650 | $167,490 | 680 | $105,222 |
| 4 | MDMaryland | $110,980 | $78,980 | $155,290 | 300 | $105,737 |
| 5 | MIMichigan | $109,090 | $82,360 | $140,800 | 460 | $113,379 |
| 6 | NMNew Mexico | $108,850 | $89,290 | $119,110 | 70 | $118,043 |
| 7 | DEDelaware | $108,810 | $102,460 | $168,900 | 70 | $109,019 |
| 8 | MNMinnesota | $107,240 | $81,100 | $141,500 | 250 | $108,740 |
| 9 | IDIdaho | $106,040 | $66,820 | $128,250 | 50 | $111,044 |
| 10 | VAVirginia | $104,490 | $66,310 | $138,500 | 610 | $103,349 |
| 11 | OROregon | $104,320 | $83,990 | $128,120 | 230 | $100,928 |
| 12 | IAIowa | $104,270 | $77,680 | $127,640 | 120 | $118,810 |
| 13 | MEMaine | $104,270 | $78,340 | $130,740 | 60 | $107,439 |
| 14 | NYNew York | $103,100 | $77,810 | $134,850 | 1,080 | $95,533 |
| 15 | INIndiana | $102,970 | $79,390 | $138,200 | 270 | $110,330 |
| 16 | NDNorth Dakota | $101,700 | $62,420 | $111,350 | 40 | $114,322 |
| 17 | GAGeorgia | $101,580 | $77,980 | $128,600 | 210 | $105,491 |
| 18 | MOMissouri | $99,970 | $75,940 | $124,940 | 230 | $110,079 |
| 19 | UTUtah | $99,860 | $74,830 | $129,820 | 120 | $101,007 |
| 20 | COColorado | $99,280 | $69,660 | $128,450 | 280 | $96,340 |
| 21 | NHNew Hampshire | $99,050 | $83,300 | $208,900 | 40 | $95,090 |
| 22 | NJNew Jersey | $98,920 | $62,380 | $135,630 | 530 | $90,915 |
| 23 | NENebraska | $98,460 | $71,220 | $128,750 | 70 | $109,275 |
| 24 | VTVermont | $98,390 | $66,530 | $125,370 | 50 | $100,441 |
| 25 | PAPennsylvania | $98,370 | $75,090 | $122,390 | 580 | $100,818 |
| 26 | WVWest Virginia | $98,320 | $68,960 | $127,370 | 50 | $109,858 |
| 27 | MTMontana | $98,050 | $74,560 | $121,380 | 70 | $103,598 |
| 28 | TXTexas | $97,760 | $67,890 | $124,230 | 1,110 | $100,724 |
| 29 | KSKansas | $97,140 | $67,530 | $137,530 | 110 | $107,852 |
| 30 | WAWashington | $96,930 | $70,630 | $107,400 | 310 | $90,578 |
| 31 | NVNevada | $96,330 | $83,240 | $103,510 | 90 | $96,350 |
| 32 | OHOhio | $96,310 | $65,340 | $108,020 | 420 | $103,811 |
| 33 | ILIllinois | $94,900 | $67,620 | $128,430 | 540 | $94,940 |
| 34 | OKOklahoma | $91,580 | $61,810 | $106,000 | 90 | $104,254 |
| 35 | LALouisiana | $90,040 | $67,470 | $113,020 | 90 | $102,078 |
| 36 | WIWisconsin | $89,630 | $77,760 | $122,660 | 210 | $95,255 |
| 37 | NCNorth Carolina | $87,370 | $66,600 | $131,280 | 440 | $92,626 |
| 38 | SDSouth Dakota | $86,010 | $63,030 | $103,520 | 30 | $97,092 |
| 39 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $85,190 | $68,330 | $99,700 | 130 | $77,515 |
| 40 | PRPuerto Rico | $83,830 | $70,720 | $95,470 | 80 | N/A |
| 41 | ALAlabama | $82,750 | $60,990 | $100,620 | 170 | $93,163 |
| 42 | SCSouth Carolina | $81,210 | $67,320 | $103,220 | 150 | $86,625 |
| 43 | TNTennessee | $80,630 | $65,600 | $111,740 | 340 | $87,765 |
| 44 | KYKentucky | $80,270 | $57,690 | $107,130 | 160 | $89,032 |
| 45 | FLFlorida | $74,050 | $64,620 | $96,960 | 180 | $71,605 |
| 46 | MSMississippi | $71,160 | $60,880 | $103,670 | 100 | $81,837 |
| 47 | AZArizona | $65,730 | $63,250 | $83,530 | 350 | $65,288 |
| 48 | ARArkansas | $64,900 | $52,210 | $107,410 | 30 | $74,652 |
Method
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Physics Teachers, Postsecondary, that changes the ranking: California leads on raw pay at $139,420, while California leads once prices are taken into account at $125,921.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
Physics Teacher, Postsecondary pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Physics Teachers, Postsecondary the most?
California reports the highest median wage for Physics Teachers, Postsecondary at $139,420 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Connecticut ($112,410) and Massachusetts ($111,280).
Which state pays Physics Teachers, Postsecondary the least?
Arkansas reports the lowest median for Physics Teachers, Postsecondary at $64,900 a year, $74,520 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Physics Teachers, Postsecondary earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts California first at $125,921 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $139,420. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.