Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Pennsylvania is $210,990/year ($101.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $88K at the entry level to $262K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $222,165 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 10.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $211K actually covers in Pennsylvania, month by month
About physicists
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania sits well above the national pay line for physicists, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $172K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,351/month, 10.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Pennsylvania offers a genuinely strong financial position for physicists at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $88K. Mid-career wages sit at $211K. Top earners bring in $262K or more, a $174K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists salary by metro in Pennsylvania
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $224K | +6% | 80 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $165K | -22% | 150 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $211K, rent takes 10.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $88K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,650/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $211K here vs. $172K nationally.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for physicists?
Pennsylvania pays $211K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $222K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physicists make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $210,990 a year, that works out to about $101 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $88,300, and experienced physicists can clear $261,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $211K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $12,546/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 10.8% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $222,165 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.