Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Delaware is $82,590/year ($39.71/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $294K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $134K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.51), that's roughly $84,699 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,448/month, or 27.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Delaware. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
Where the paycheck goes
What $83K actually covers in Delaware, month by month
About physicists
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What this looks like in Delaware
Pay for physicists in Delaware runs about 52% below the U.S. median of $172K. Rent runs $1,448/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.51) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Delaware
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $294K or more, a $229K spread from bottom to top.
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Track physicists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Delaware numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Delaware?
Yes — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 27.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,448/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Delaware?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,233/month. At HUD’s $1,448/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Delaware?
Local pay runs 52% below the national median — $83K here vs. $172K nationally.
How does Delaware compare to the national average for physicists?
Delaware pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -52%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in Delaware?
The median is $82,590 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,570, and experienced physicists can clear $293,950. The mean (average) is $133,760, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Delaware?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,190/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,448/month, which eats 27.9% 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 Delaware?
Delaware has a Regional Price Parity of 97.51 (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 $84,699 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.