Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Missouri is $140,460/year ($67.53/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $71K at the entry level to $277K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $157,873 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,097/month, or 12.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $140K actually covers in Missouri, month by month
About physicists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Missouri
Pay for physicists in Missouri runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $172K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,097/month, 13.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Missouri can be a reasonable trade-off for physicists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missouri
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $71K. Mid-career wages sit at $140K. Top earners bring in $277K or more, a $206K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists salary by metro in Missouri
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $141K | +1% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track physicists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Missouri numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
Yes — at the median salary of $140K, rent takes 13.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $71K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,620/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Missouri?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $140K here vs. $172K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for physicists?
Missouri pays $140K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $158K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in Missouri?
The median is $140,460 a year, that works out to about $68 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $70,550, and experienced physicists can clear $276,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $140K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,402/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 13.1% 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 Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 $157,873 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.