Physical Scientists, All Other salary in the U.S.
Physical Scientists, All Other in the U.S. earn a median of $122,570 a year ($58.93 an hour), based on BLS data for 22,300 workers.
Pay ranges from $67,000 for the lowest-paid 10% to $195,190 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $129,230, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for physical scientists, all other in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $67,000 | $32.21 |
| 25th percentile | $86,620 | $41.64 |
| Median | $122,570 | $58.93 |
| 75th percentile | $161,890 | $77.83 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $195,190 | $93.84 |
| Average (mean) | $129,230 | $62.13 |
Half of physical scientists, all other earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $10,214.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $5,107.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,714.23 |
| Weekly | $2,357.12 |
| Hourly | $58.93 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Physical Scientists, All Other salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $156,730 | 790 |
| Minnesota | $147,890 | 540 |
| North Dakota | $147,650 | 70 |
| Maryland | $141,290 | 1,810 |
| South Carolina | $141,130 | 70 |
| Massachusetts | $138,380 | 350 |
| Georgia | $137,680 | 1,020 |
| Alabama | $135,350 | 140 |
| Pennsylvania | $134,780 | 460 |
| Colorado | $134,440 | 710 |
| Washington | $133,980 | 450 |
| Florida | $131,690 | 340 |
| California | $130,610 | 2,320 |
| Tennessee | $129,570 | 120 |
| Arizona | $125,270 | 170 |
| New Mexico | $123,820 | 240 |
| Alaska | $120,240 | 140 |
| Michigan | $118,870 | 130 |
| New York | $117,820 | 1,510 |
| Utah | $115,920 | 250 |
| Hawaii | $112,880 | 100 |
| New Hampshire | $112,370 | 210 |
| Oklahoma | $112,260 | 80 |
| North Carolina | $110,030 | 650 |
| New Jersey | $109,990 | 590 |
| Oregon | $109,580 | 290 |
| Illinois | $108,970 | 580 |
| Mississippi | $108,890 | 380 |
| Ohio | $108,790 | 430 |
| Nebraska | $101,440 | 40 |
| Texas | $100,920 | 2,310 |
| Connecticut | $99,990 | 370 |
| Wisconsin | $97,470 | 70 |
| Puerto Rico | $97,150 | 70 |
| Montana | $94,520 | 100 |
| Louisiana | $94,320 | 280 |
| Kentucky | $81,260 | 260 |
| Iowa | $80,810 | 100 |
| Wyoming | $69,240 | 60 |
| Indiana | $68,670 | 1,240 |
Best-paying metro areas for physical scientists, all other
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $180,470 | 70 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $176,440 | 410 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $170,980 | 2,740 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $160,580 | 340 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $157,710 | 80 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $149,550 | 40 |
| Charlottesville, VA | $144,580 | 100 |
| Huntsville, AL | $142,650 | 70 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $142,080 | 120 |
| Boulder, CO | $141,320 | n/a |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $140,980 | 420 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $139,560 | 860 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $137,680 | 930 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $137,340 | 60 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $137,220 | 310 |
Metro areas with the most physical scientists, all other
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,740 | $170,980 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 930 | $137,680 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 860 | $139,560 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 820 | $136,160 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 780 | $99,460 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 700 | $133,590 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 570 | $108,160 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 560 | $67,000 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 550 | $91,430 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 430 | $121,720 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 420 | $140,980 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 410 | $176,440 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 370 | $128,380 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 350 | $137,050 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 340 | $160,580 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 | $39.53 |
| Chemist | $91,240 | $43.87 |
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $101,920 | $49.00 |
| Physicist | $172,250 | $82.81 |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $99,070 | $47.63 |
| Materials Scientist | $117,790 | $56.63 |
| Hydrologist | $96,600 | $46.44 |
| Astronomer | $128,820 | $61.94 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $100,580 | $48.36 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 | $27.65 |
| School Psychologist | $95,990 | $46.15 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 19-2099. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physical scientists, all other make in the U.S.?
The median salary for physical scientists, all other in the U.S. is $122,570 a year, or $58.93 an hour. Pay ranges from $67,000 for the lowest-paid 10% to $195,190 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid physical scientists, all other make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of physical scientists, all other in the U.S. earn at least $195,190 a year. The top 25% earn $161,890 or more.
What is the starting pay for physical scientists, all other in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $67,000 a year, and a quarter of physical scientists, all other earn $86,620 or less.
How many physical scientists, all other work in the U.S.?
About 22,300 physical scientists, all other are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.