Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Arizona is $130,500/year ($62.74/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $102K at the entry level to $243K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.41), that's roughly $135,359 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,437/month, or 17.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arizona. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $131K actually covers in Arizona, month by month
About physicists
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What this looks like in Arizona
Pay for physicists in Arizona runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $172K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,437/month, 17.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.41) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Arizona can be a reasonable trade-off for physicists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arizona
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $102K. Mid-career wages sit at $131K. Top earners bring in $243K or more, a $141K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists salary by metro in Arizona
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson | $171K | +31% | 30 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $131K | +0% | 80 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Arizona 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 Arizona?
Yes — at the median salary of $131K, rent takes 17.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,437/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Arizona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $102K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,475/month. At HUD’s $1,437/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Arizona?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $131K here vs. $172K nationally.
How does Arizona compare to the national average for physicists?
Arizona pays $131K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $135K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in Arizona?
The median is $130,500 a year, that works out to about $63 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $102,160, and experienced physicists can clear $242,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $131K enough to live in Arizona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,057/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,437/month, which eats 17.8% 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 Arizona?
Arizona has a Regional Price Parity of 96.41 (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 $135,359 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.