Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Portland-South Portland, ME is $57,780/year ($27.78/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $124K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $56,725 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,130/month, about 56.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $58K get you in Portland-South Portland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). 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 Portland-South Portland
Pay for physicists in Portland-South Portland runs about 66% below the U.S. median of $172K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,130/month, which is 55.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for physicistss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $124K or more, a $66K 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
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 Portland-South Portland numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-South Portland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 55.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Portland-South Portland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,467/month. At HUD’s $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Local pay runs 66% below the national median — $58K here vs. $172K nationally.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for physicists?
Portland-South Portland pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -66%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $57,780 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,780, and experienced physicists can clear $123,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,815/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 55.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a physicists salary go in Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (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 $56,725 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.