Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $166,140/year ($79.88/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $108K at the entry level to $231K for experienced workers.
So what does $166K get you in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
About physicists
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physicists in metros near Denver-Aurora-Centennial, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $105K | , |
| Colorado Springs | $158K | , |
| Albuquerque | $165K | $173K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $131K | $126K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $108K. Mid-career wages sit at $166K. Top earners bring in $231K or more, a $123K 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
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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Yes — at the median salary of $166K, rent takes 21% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,044/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $108K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,457/month.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $166K locally vs. $172K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for physicists?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $166K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -4%.
How much do physicists make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $166,140 a year, that works out to about $80 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $107,610, and experienced physicists can clear $230,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $166K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,750/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,044/month, which eats 21% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median physicists salary is worth about $166,140 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.