Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in New York is $181,970/year ($87.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $293K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.21), that's roughly $185,287 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,917/month, or 18.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New York. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $182K get you in New York?
About physicists
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What this looks like in New York
Physicists pay in New York tracks closely to the national median, $182K locally vs. $172K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,917/month, 18.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.21) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $182K. Top earners bring in $293K or more, a $213K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists salary by metro in New York
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $182K | +0% | 1,070 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $175K | -4% | 40 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $159K | -12% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track physicists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New York numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York?
Yes — at the median salary of $182K, rent takes 18.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,917/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in New York?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,800/month. At HUD’s $1,917/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is physicist a high-paying job in New York?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $182K locally vs. $172K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does New York compare to the national average for physicists?
New York pays $182K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $185K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physicists make in New York?
The median is $181,970 a year, that works out to about $87 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $80,000, and experienced physicists can clear $292,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $182K enough to live in New York?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,469/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,917/month, which eats 18.3% 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 New York?
New York has a Regional Price Parity of 98.21 (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 $185,287 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.