Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Minnesota is $171,220/year ($82.32/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $132K at the entry level to $337K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $184,903 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,384/month, or 13.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Minnesota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $171K actually covers in Minnesota, month by month
About physicists
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What this looks like in Minnesota
Physicists pay in Minnesota tracks closely to the national median, $171K locally vs. $172K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,384/month, 14.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, Minnesota
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $132K. Mid-career wages sit at $171K. Top earners bring in $337K or more, a $205K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists salary by metro in Minnesota
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $168K | -2% | 80 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Minnesota numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Minnesota?
Yes — at the median salary of $171K, rent takes 14.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,384/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Minnesota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $132K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,763/month. At HUD’s $1,384/month FMR, rent would take 18% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Minnesota?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $171K locally vs. $172K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Minnesota compare to the national average for physicists?
Minnesota pays $171K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $185K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physicists make in Minnesota?
The median is $171,220 a year, that works out to about $82 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $131,870, and experienced physicists can clear $336,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $171K enough to live in Minnesota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,746/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,384/month, which eats 14.2% 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 Minnesota?
Minnesota has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (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 $184,903 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.