Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in California is $207,490/year ($99.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $125K at the entry level to $297K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $195,487 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,471/month, or 20.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $207K get you in California?
About physicists
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for physicists, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $172K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,471/month, 21.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, California offers a genuinely strong financial position for physicistss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $125K. Mid-career wages sit at $207K. Top earners bring in $297K or more, a $171K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists salary by metro in California
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $173K | -16% | 440 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $164K | -21% | N/A |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $163K | -21% | 50 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $160K | -23% | 550 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $156K | -25% | 290 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $135K | -35% | 80 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $120K | -42% | 100 |
Compare to other states
Track physicists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
Yes — at the median salary of $207K, rent takes 21.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $125K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,523/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 California?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $207K here vs. $172K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for physicists?
California pays $207K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $195K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physicists make in California?
The median is $207,490 a year, that works out to about $100 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $125,390, and experienced physicists can clear $296,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $207K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $11,585/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 21.3% 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 California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (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 $195,487 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.