Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in New Mexico is $165,340/year ($79.49/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $121K at the entry level to $235K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $177,670 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,119/month, or 11.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Mexico. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $165K actually covers in New Mexico, month by month
About physicists
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What this looks like in New Mexico
Physicists pay in New Mexico tracks closely to the national median, $165K locally vs. $172K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,119/month, 11.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.06 (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, New Mexico
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $121K. Mid-career wages sit at $165K. Top earners bring in $235K or more, a $114K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists salary by metro in New Mexico
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $165K | +0% | 330 |
| Las Cruces | $112K | -32% | 30 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when New Mexico 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 New Mexico?
Yes — at the median salary of $165K, rent takes 11.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,119/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in New Mexico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $121K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,362/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 15% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in New Mexico?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $165K locally vs. $172K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does New Mexico compare to the national average for physicists?
New Mexico pays $165K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $178K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physicists make in New Mexico?
The median is $165,340 a year, that works out to about $79 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $120,720, and experienced physicists can clear $235,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $165K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,721/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 11.5% 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 New Mexico?
New Mexico has a Regional Price Parity of 93.06 (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 $177,670 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.