Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Pittsburgh, PA is $224,160/year ($107.77/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $138K at the entry level to $266K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.67), which stretches that salary to about $236,780 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,299/month, or 9.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $224K get you in Pittsburgh?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Pittsburgh’s Regional Price Parity (94.67). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About physicists
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What this looks like in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh sits well above the national pay line for physicists, local pay runs about 30% higher than the U.S. median of $172K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,299/month, 9.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.67 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Pittsburgh offers a genuinely strong financial position for physicistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physicists in metros near Pittsburgh, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $165K | $161K |
| Trenton-Princeton | $135K | $131K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $182K | $162K |
| Cleveland | $239K | $255K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pittsburgh, PA
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $138K. Mid-career wages sit at $224K. Top earners bring in $266K or more, a $128K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Physicists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $225K | +31% | 340 |
| New Hampshire | $214K | +24% | 30 |
| Pennsylvania | $211K | +22% | 230 |
| California | $207K | +20% | 5,930 |
| Oregon | $200K | +16% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $200K | +16% | 40 |
| Texas | $184K | +7% | 580 |
| New York | $182K | +6% | 1,140 |
| Kentucky | $181K | +5% | 50 |
| Connecticut | $180K | +5% | 60 |
| Iowa | $178K | +3% | 110 |
| Maryland | $174K | +1% | 1,200 |
| North Carolina | $174K | +1% | 150 |
| Wisconsin | $173K | +1% | 180 |
| Minnesota | $171K | -1% | 110 |
| Louisiana | $166K | -3% | 40 |
| New Mexico | $165K | -4% | 580 |
| Tennessee | $165K | -4% | 240 |
| New Jersey | $163K | -5% | 470 |
| Ohio | $163K | -5% | 630 |
| District of Columbia | $157K | -9% | 480 |
| Utah | $157K | -9% | 30 |
| Rhode Island | $155K | -10% | N/A |
| Nevada | $154K | -11% | 50 |
| Virginia | $145K | -16% | 940 |
| Georgia | $145K | -16% | 160 |
| Missouri | $140K | -18% | 90 |
| Alabama | $139K | -19% | 280 |
| South Carolina | $138K | -20% | 420 |
| Illinois | $137K | -20% | 1,590 |
| Arkansas | $136K | -21% | 60 |
| Idaho | $135K | -22% | N/A |
| Washington | $135K | -22% | 450 |
| Arizona | $131K | -24% | 120 |
| Mississippi | $130K | -25% | 80 |
| Hawaii | $117K | -32% | 40 |
| Massachusetts | $106K | -38% | 1,150 |
| Indiana | $106K | -38% | 230 |
| Colorado | $105K | -39% | 1,050 |
| Montana | $104K | -40% | 30 |
| Michigan | $95K | -45% | 510 |
| South Dakota | $83K | -52% | 30 |
| Delaware | $83K | -52% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 43 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track physicists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pittsburgh numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pittsburgh?
Yes — at the median salary of $224K, rent takes 9.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,299/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Pittsburgh?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $138K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $8,281/month. At HUD’s $1,299/month FMR, rent would take 16% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Pittsburgh?
Local pay is 30% above the national median — $224K here vs. $172K nationally.
How does Pittsburgh compare to the national average for physicists?
Pittsburgh pays $224K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s +30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $237K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physicists make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median is $224,160 a year, that works out to about $108 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $138,010, and experienced physicists can clear $266,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $224K enough to live in Pittsburgh?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $13,242/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,299/month, which eats 9.8% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh has a Regional Price Parity of 94.67 (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 $236,780 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.