Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Alabama is $139,330/year ($66.98/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $74K at the entry level to $228K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $157,684 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 12.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $139K actually covers in Alabama, month by month
About physicists
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for physicists in Alabama runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $172K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,085/month, 13.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Alabama can be a reasonable trade-off for physicists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $74K. Mid-career wages sit at $139K. Top earners bring in $228K or more, a $154K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists salary by metro in Alabama
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $150K | +8% | 180 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $139K, rent takes 13.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $74K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,758/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 23% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $139K here vs. $172K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for physicists?
Alabama pays $139K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $158K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in Alabama?
The median is $139,330 a year, that works out to about $67 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $74,290, and experienced physicists can clear $227,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $139K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,265/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 13.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physicists salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median physicists salary is worth about $157,684 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physicists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.