Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Lansing-East Lansing, MI is $71,580/year ($34.41/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $72K at the entry level to $143K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.99), which stretches that salary to about $75,355 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,268/month, or 27% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $72K get you in Lansing-East Lansing?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lansing-East Lansing’s Regional Price Parity (94.99). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About physicists
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What this looks like in Lansing-East Lansing
Pay for physicists in Lansing-East Lansing runs about 58% below the U.S. median of $172K. Rent runs $1,268/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.99 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physicists in metros near Lansing-East Lansing, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $199K | $199K |
| Ann Arbor | $64K | $64K |
| Cleveland | $239K | $255K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $151K | $163K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $72K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $143K or more, a $71K 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 with published data
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 Lansing-East Lansing numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lansing-East Lansing?
Yes — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 27.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,268/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Lansing-East Lansing?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $72K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,295/month. At HUD’s $1,268/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Lansing-East Lansing?
Local pay runs 58% below the national median — $72K here vs. $172K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lansing-East Lansing compare to the national average for physicists?
Lansing-East Lansing pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -58%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.99), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?
The median is $71,580 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $71,580, and experienced physicists can clear $142,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Lansing-East Lansing?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,642/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,268/month, which eats 27.3% 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 Lansing-East Lansing?
Lansing-East Lansing has a Regional Price Parity of 94.99 (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 $75,355 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.