Physicists Career, Salary and Skills
Physicists have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $172,250 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 20,430. Wage data is published for 101 locations.
Occupation description
Conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories.
O*NET code
19-2012.00
Job zone
5
Typical education
Doctoral Degree
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$172,250
Hourly median
$82.81
Employment
20,430
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Science | 4.88 | 5.88 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.62 | 5.00 |
| Active Learning | 4.50 | 5.75 |
| Mathematics | 4.50 | 5.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.50 | 5.88 |
| Speaking | 4.50 | 4.88 |
| Writing | 4.38 | 5.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.38 | 5.00 |
| Active Listening | 4.12 | 4.75 |
| Learning Strategies | 4.00 | 5.12 |
Typical 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.
- Observe the structure and properties of matter, and the transformation and propagation of energy, using equipment such as masers, lasers, and telescopes, to explore and identify the basic principles governing these phenomena.
- Write research proposals to receive funding.
- Design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood.
Technology
- Adobe Audition
- Adobe Photoshop
- Amazon Web Services AWS software
- Ansible software
- Aptech Systems GAUSS
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- C
- C++
- Canu
- CERN Physics Analysis Workstation PAW
- CERN ROOT
- COMSOL Multiphysics
- Criss Software XRF11
- Database application software
Physicists salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Physicists Salary in CAMedian $207,490 · Employment 5,930
- Physicists Salary in ILMedian $137,140 · Employment 1,590
- Physicists Salary in Washington, DCMedian $171,580 · Employment 1,520
- Physicists Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $137,140 · Employment 1,510
- Physicists Salary in MDMedian $174,390 · Employment 1,200
- Physicists Salary in MAMedian $106,410 · Employment 1,150
- Physicists Salary in NYMedian $181,970 · Employment 1,140
- Physicists Salary in New York, NYMedian $181,970 · Employment 1,070
- Physicists Salary in Boston, MAMedian $106,000 · Employment 1,060
- Physicists Salary in COMedian $104,580 · Employment 1,050
- Physicists Salary in VAMedian $145,040 · Employment 940
- Physicists Salary in Boulder, COMedian $104,580 · Employment 860
Related careers
- Chemical EngineersNational median $125,040
- HydrologistsNational median $96,600
- Aerospace EngineersNational median $134,960
- Microsystems EngineersNational median $122,930
- Nuclear EngineersNational median $133,970
- Bioinformatics ScientistsNational median $98,920
- Bioengineers and Biomedical EngineersNational median $109,370
- StatisticiansNational median $105,650
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.