SalariesWhat the occupation covers
All physical scientists not listed separately.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 19-2099.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $67,000 | $5,583 | $1,288 | $32.21 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $86,620 | $7,218 | $1,666 | $41.64 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $122,570 | $10,214 | $2,357 | $58.93 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $161,890 | $13,491 | $3,113 | $77.83 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $195,190 | $16,266 | $3,754 | $93.84 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Physical Scientists, All Other is $122,570, which is 140% higher. Among the 48 occupations of the field Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks number 7 by median pay. With 22,300 jobs, it makes up about 1.4 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Physical Scientists, All Other pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($156,730), Minnesota ($147,890) and North Dakota ($147,650). The lowest was in Indiana ($68,670), Wyoming ($69,240) and Iowa ($80,810). The most jobs were in California (2,320), Texas (2,310) and Maryland (1,810). The occupation is most concentrated in District of Columbia, where its share of all jobs is 7.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 790 | $156,730 | $152,480 | $75.35 |
| Minnesota | 540 | $147,890 | $151,450 | $71.10 |
| North Dakota | 70 | $147,650 | $128,190 | $70.99 |
| Maryland | 1,810 | $141,290 | $141,310 | $67.93 |
| South Carolina | 70 | $141,130 | $138,140 | $67.85 |
| Massachusetts | 350 | $138,380 | $136,900 | $66.53 |
| Georgia | 1,020 | $137,680 | $132,380 | $66.19 |
| Alabama | 140 | $135,350 | $142,930 | $65.07 |
| Pennsylvania | 460 | $134,780 | $142,660 | $64.80 |
| Colorado | 710 | $134,440 | $147,190 | $64.63 |
| Washington | 450 | $133,980 | $141,060 | $64.41 |
| Florida | 340 | $131,690 | $151,150 | $63.31 |
| California | 2,320 | $130,610 | $143,310 | $62.79 |
| Tennessee | 120 | $129,570 | $136,030 | $62.29 |
| Arizona | 170 | $125,270 | $126,240 | $60.23 |
| New Mexico | 240 | $123,820 | $129,640 | $59.53 |
| Alaska | 140 | $120,240 | $121,540 | $57.81 |
| Michigan | 130 | $118,870 | $120,940 | $57.15 |
| New York | 1,510 | $117,820 | $121,990 | $56.64 |
| Utah | 250 | $115,920 | $115,940 | $55.73 |
| Hawaii | 100 | $112,880 | $113,530 | $54.27 |
| New Hampshire | 210 | $112,370 | $129,820 | $54.02 |
| Oklahoma | 80 | $112,260 | $117,230 | $53.97 |
| North Carolina | 650 | $110,030 | $114,340 | $52.90 |
| New Jersey | 590 | $109,990 | $117,520 | $52.88 |
| Oregon | 290 | $109,580 | $110,560 | $52.69 |
| Illinois | 580 | $108,970 | $113,840 | $52.39 |
| Mississippi | 380 | $108,890 | $108,820 | $52.35 |
| Ohio | 430 | $108,790 | $115,360 | $52.30 |
| Nebraska | 40 | $101,440 | $106,830 | $48.77 |
| Texas | 2,310 | $100,920 | $113,910 | $48.52 |
| Connecticut | 370 | $99,990 | $129,560 | $48.07 |
| Wisconsin | 70 | $97,470 | $110,780 | $46.86 |
| Puerto Rico | 70 | $97,150 | $88,750 | $46.71 |
| Montana | 100 | $94,520 | $90,150 | $45.44 |
| Louisiana | 280 | $94,320 | $106,030 | $45.35 |
| Kentucky | 260 | $81,260 | $80,840 | $39.07 |
| Iowa | 100 | $80,810 | $101,240 | $38.85 |
| Wyoming | 60 | $69,240 | $77,340 | $33.29 |
| Indiana | 1,240 | $68,670 | $75,600 | $33.02 |
| Rhode Island | 70 | not published | not published | not published |
| Virginia | 1,450 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Astronomers$128,820 a year
- Biochemists and Biophysicists$127,410 a year
- Economists$124,720 a year
- Materials Scientists$117,790 a year
- Psychologists, All Other$110,840 a year
- Nuclear Technicians$110,240 a year
Common questions
How much do Physical Scientists, All Other earn in the United States?
The median pay was $122,570 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $67,000 and the highest-paid 10% more than $195,190.
How many people work as Physical Scientists, All Other?
About 22,300 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.