Physicists Salary in Richmond, VA
The median pay for a physicists in Richmond, VA is $212,950/year ($102.38/hour), per BLS data. Entry-level workers start around $112K. (BLS did not publish a top-end figure for this area.) Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.86), that's roughly $217,607 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,655/month, or 13.1% of estimated take-home pay.
AffordMap analysis of BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (latest release, May 2024)
So what does $213K get you in Richmond?
About physicists
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Richmond, VA
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $112K. Mid-career wages sit at $213K.BLS did not publish 90th percentile data for this occupation in this area (sample size too small).
Physicists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $223K | +34% | 60 |
| Florida | $209K | +26% | 240 |
| Pennsylvania | $208K | +25% | 540 |
| Arizona | $191K | +15% | 70 |
| Oregon | $184K | +11% | 120 |
| California | $181K | +9% | 6,220 |
| Missouri | $180K | +9% | 90 |
| New Hampshire | $179K | +8% | 30 |
| New Mexico | $176K | +6% | 770 |
| New York | $174K | +5% | 1,190 |
| Wisconsin | $174K | +5% | 220 |
| Tennessee | $174K | +4% | 260 |
| Connecticut | $172K | +3% | 70 |
| North Carolina | $171K | +3% | 170 |
| Texas | $170K | +3% | 700 |
Track physicists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Richmond numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do physicists make in Richmond, VA?
The median is $212,950 a year - that works out to about $102.38 an hour. The range is wide: entry-level workers start around $111,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $213K enough to live in Richmond?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $12,224/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,655/month (HUD Fair Market Rent), which eats 13.5% 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 Richmond?
Richmond has a Regional Price Parity of 97.86 (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 $217,607 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.