Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Oregon is $200,320/year ($96.31/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $104K at the entry level to $316K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.44), that's roughly $195,549 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,555/month, or 13.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Oregon. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $200K actually covers in Oregon, month by month
About physicists
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What this looks like in Oregon
Oregon sits well above the national pay line for physicists, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $172K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,555/month, 14.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 102.44) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Oregon offers a genuinely strong financial position for physicists at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oregon
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $104K. Mid-career wages sit at $200K. Top earners bring in $316K or more, a $212K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists salary by metro in Oregon
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $172K | -14% | 50 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Oregon 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 Oregon?
Yes — at the median salary of $200K, rent takes 14.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,555/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Oregon?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $104K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,100/month. At HUD’s $1,555/month FMR, rent would take 25% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Oregon?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $200K here vs. $172K nationally.
How does Oregon compare to the national average for physicists?
Oregon pays $200K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $196K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physicists make in Oregon?
The median is $200,320 a year, that works out to about $96 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $104,370, and experienced physicists can clear $315,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $200K enough to live in Oregon?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,944/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,555/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 Oregon?
Oregon has a Regional Price Parity of 102.44 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median physicists salary is worth about $195,549 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.