Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in North Carolina is $174,180/year ($83.74/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $257K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $187,978 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,284/month, or 11.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of North Carolina. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $174K get you in North Carolina?
About physicists
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Physicists pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $174K locally vs. $172K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,284/month, 12.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (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, North Carolina
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $174K. Top earners bring in $257K or more, a $193K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track physicists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $174K, rent takes 12.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,843/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $174K locally vs. $172K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for physicists?
North Carolina pays $174K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $188K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physicists make in North Carolina?
The median is $174,180 a year, that works out to about $84 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,050, and experienced physicists can clear $256,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $174K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,164/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 12.6% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $187,978 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.