Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Ann Arbor, MI is $64,380/year ($30.95/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $176K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $100K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.88), that's roughly $63,818 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,656/month, about 39.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Ann Arbor?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ann Arbor’s Regional Price Parity (100.88). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About physicists
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What this looks like in Ann Arbor
Pay for physicists in Ann Arbor runs about 63% below the U.S. median of $172K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,656/month, which is 39% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.88) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for physicistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physicists in metros near Ann Arbor, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lansing-East Lansing | $72K | $75K |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $199K | $199K |
| Cleveland | $239K | $255K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $151K | $163K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ann Arbor, MI
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $176K or more, a $112K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Physicists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $225K | +31% | 340 |
| New Hampshire | $214K | +24% | 30 |
| Pennsylvania | $211K | +22% | 230 |
| California | $207K | +20% | 5,930 |
| Oregon | $200K | +16% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $200K | +16% | 40 |
| Texas | $184K | +7% | 580 |
| New York | $182K | +6% | 1,140 |
| Kentucky | $181K | +5% | 50 |
| Connecticut | $180K | +5% | 60 |
| Iowa | $178K | +3% | 110 |
| Maryland | $174K | +1% | 1,200 |
| North Carolina | $174K | +1% | 150 |
| Wisconsin | $173K | +1% | 180 |
| Minnesota | $171K | -1% | 110 |
| Louisiana | $166K | -3% | 40 |
| New Mexico | $165K | -4% | 580 |
| Tennessee | $165K | -4% | 240 |
| New Jersey | $163K | -5% | 470 |
| Ohio | $163K | -5% | 630 |
| District of Columbia | $157K | -9% | 480 |
| Utah | $157K | -9% | 30 |
| Rhode Island | $155K | -10% | N/A |
| Nevada | $154K | -11% | 50 |
| Virginia | $145K | -16% | 940 |
| Georgia | $145K | -16% | 160 |
| Missouri | $140K | -18% | 90 |
| Alabama | $139K | -19% | 280 |
| South Carolina | $138K | -20% | 420 |
| Illinois | $137K | -20% | 1,590 |
| Arkansas | $136K | -21% | 60 |
| Idaho | $135K | -22% | N/A |
| Washington | $135K | -22% | 450 |
| Arizona | $131K | -24% | 120 |
| Mississippi | $130K | -25% | 80 |
| Hawaii | $117K | -32% | 40 |
| Massachusetts | $106K | -38% | 1,150 |
| Indiana | $106K | -38% | 230 |
| Colorado | $105K | -39% | 1,050 |
| Montana | $104K | -40% | 30 |
| Michigan | $95K | -45% | 510 |
| South Dakota | $83K | -52% | 30 |
| Delaware | $83K | -52% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 43 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track physicists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ann Arbor numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ann Arbor?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 39% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,656/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Ann Arbor?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,863/month. At HUD’s $1,656/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Ann Arbor?
Local pay runs 63% below the national median — $64K here vs. $172K nationally.
How does Ann Arbor compare to the national average for physicists?
Ann Arbor pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -63%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in Ann Arbor, MI?
The median is $64,380 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,380, and experienced physicists can clear $176,440. The mean (average) is $100,460, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Ann Arbor?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,245/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,656/month, which eats 39% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a physicists salary go in Ann Arbor?
Ann Arbor has a Regional Price Parity of 100.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median physicists salary is worth about $63,818 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.