Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Georgia is $144,870/year ($69.65/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $288K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $157,656 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,434/month, or 16.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $145K get you in Georgia?
About physicists
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What this looks like in Georgia
Pay for physicists in Georgia runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $172K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,434/month, 16.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Georgia can be a reasonable trade-off for physicistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $145K. Top earners bring in $288K or more, a $208K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists salary by metro in Georgia
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $145K | +0% | 100 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
Yes — at the median salary of $145K, rent takes 16.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,792/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Georgia?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $145K here vs. $172K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for physicists?
Georgia pays $145K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $158K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in Georgia?
The median is $144,870 a year, that works out to about $70 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,860, and experienced physicists can clear $288,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $145K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,522/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 16.8% 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 Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (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 $157,656 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.