Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Kentucky is $180,910/year ($86.98/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $282K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $200,499 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 10.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Kentucky. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $181K get you in Kentucky?
About physicists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Kentucky
Physicists pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $181K locally vs. $172K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 10.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $181K. Top earners bring in $282K or more, a $216K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track physicists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $181K, rent takes 10.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,952/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $181K locally vs. $172K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for physicists?
Kentucky pays $181K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $200K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physicists make in Kentucky?
The median is $180,910 a year, that works out to about $87 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,860, and experienced physicists can clear $282,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $181K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,622/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 10.5% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $200,499 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.