Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Arkansas is $135,820/year ($65.3/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $110K at the entry level to $214K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $154,975 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,021/month, or 12.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Arkansas. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $136K get you in Arkansas?
About physicists
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Pay for physicists in Arkansas runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $172K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,021/month, 12.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Arkansas can be a reasonable trade-off for physicistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $110K. Mid-career wages sit at $136K. Top earners bring in $214K or more, a $104K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track physicists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $136K, rent takes 12.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $110K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,623/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 15% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $136K here vs. $172K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for physicists?
Arkansas pays $136K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $155K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in Arkansas?
The median is $135,820 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $110,390, and experienced physicists can clear $214,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $136K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,205/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 12.4% 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 Arkansas?
Arkansas has a Regional Price Parity of 87.64 (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 $154,975 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.