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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

19-2012 Physicists

Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories. Excludes “Biochemists and Biophysicists” (19-1021).


National estimates for Physicists
Industry profile for Physicists
Geographic profile for Physicists

National estimates for Physicists:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Physicists:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
18,840 2.7 % $ 72.18 $ 150,130 1.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for Physicists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 35.94 $ 51.95 $ 68.68 $ 84.75 $ 105.65
Annual Wage (2) $ 74,760 $ 108,050 $ 142,850 $ 176,280 $ 219,760


Industry profile for Physicists:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Physicists are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Physicists, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Physicists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 8,420 0.97 $ 75.58 $ 157,210
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 3,040 0.15 $ 63.08 $ 131,200
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 2,260 0.07 $ 49.07 $ 102,070
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 1,310 0.02 $ 101.09 $ 210,270
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 620 0.04 $ 73.07 $ 151,990

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Physicists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 8,420 0.97 $ 75.58 $ 157,210
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 3,040 0.15 $ 63.08 $ 131,200
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 260 0.10 $ 98.04 $ 203,920
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 300 0.07 $ 65.40 $ 136,040
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 2,260 0.07 $ 49.07 $ 102,070

Top paying industries for Physicists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Physicians 360 0.01 $ 101.81 $ 211,750
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 1,310 0.02 $ 101.09 $ 210,270
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 260 0.10 $ 98.04 $ 203,920
Outpatient Care Centers 220 0.02 $ 92.57 $ 192,550
Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (8) (8) $ 88.63 $ 184,350


Geographic profile for Physicists:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Physicists are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Physicists, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of physicists by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Physicists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 5,620 0.32 2.50 $ 79.81 $ 166,000
Illinois 1,620 0.28 2.16 $ 68.38 $ 142,230
Maryland 1,210 0.46 3.58 $ 65.20 $ 135,620
Colorado 1,000 0.36 2.85 $ 66.99 $ 139,350
New York 990 0.11 0.85 $ 80.24 $ 166,900


Map of location quotient of physicists by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Physicists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 680 0.98 7.72 $ 60.73 $ 126,320
New Mexico 730 0.90 7.04 $ 76.10 $ 158,290
Maryland 1,210 0.46 3.58 $ 65.20 $ 135,620
Colorado 1,000 0.36 2.85 $ 66.99 $ 139,350
California 5,620 0.32 2.50 $ 79.81 $ 166,000


Map of annual mean wages of physicists by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Physicists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pennsylvania 320 0.05 0.43 $ 93.83 $ 195,160
Idaho 90 0.12 0.92 $ 85.89 $ 178,650
South Carolina 60 0.03 0.22 $ 83.34 $ 173,340
New York 990 0.11 0.85 $ 80.24 $ 166,900
Connecticut 60 0.03 0.27 $ 80.17 $ 166,750



Map of employment of physicists by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Physicists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 4,110 1.72 13.47 (8) (8)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,780 0.59 4.62 $ 64.82 $ 134,820
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,470 0.33 2.61 $ 68.92 $ 143,360
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 900 0.10 0.77 $ 84.00 $ 174,730
Boulder, CO 860 4.51 35.37 $ 67.79 $ 140,990
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 500 0.18 1.44 $ 68.07 $ 141,580
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 400 0.36 2.80 $ 81.81 $ 170,150
Albuquerque, NM 360 0.95 7.43 $ 76.08 $ 158,250
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 300 0.05 0.38 $ 70.34 $ 146,300
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 300 0.23 1.79 $ 68.17 $ 141,790


Map of location quotient of physicists by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Physicists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Boulder, CO 860 4.51 35.37 $ 67.79 $ 140,990
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 4,110 1.72 13.47 (8) (8)
California-Lexington Park, MD 50 1.10 8.67 (8) (8)
Albuquerque, NM 360 0.95 7.43 $ 76.08 $ 158,250
Lansing-East Lansing, MI 190 0.95 7.43 $ 43.32 $ 90,110
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,780 0.59 4.62 $ 64.82 $ 134,820
Dayton, OH 210 0.58 4.52 $ 60.51 $ 125,870
Idaho Falls, ID 40 0.57 4.51 $ 76.64 $ 159,400
Knoxville, TN 220 0.56 4.40 $ 60.20 $ 125,210
Las Cruces, NM 40 0.50 3.89 $ 53.53 $ 111,330


Map of annual mean wages of physicists by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Physicists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 40 0.10 0.77 $ 89.37 $ 185,890
Pittsburgh, PA 50 0.04 0.34 $ 88.80 $ 184,710
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 50 0.04 0.34 $ 88.25 $ 183,560
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 80 0.04 0.29 $ 86.52 $ 179,960
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 900 0.10 0.77 $ 84.00 $ 174,730
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 50 0.09 0.73 $ 83.55 $ 173,780
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 220 0.08 0.62 $ 83.39 $ 173,440
St. Louis, MO-IL 80 0.06 0.47 $ 82.11 $ 170,780
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 400 0.36 2.80 $ 81.81 $ 170,150
Kansas City, MO-KS 70 0.07 0.54 $ 81.06 $ 168,610

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Physicists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 250 5.00 39.27 $ 56.25 $ 117,000
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 90 0.51 4.00 $ 56.31 $ 117,130

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Physicists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 250 5.00 39.27 $ 56.25 $ 117,000
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 90 0.51 4.00 $ 56.31 $ 117,130

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Physicists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 78.49 $ 163,250
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 90 0.51 4.00 $ 56.31 $ 117,130
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 250 5.00 39.27 $ 56.25 $ 117,000


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023