Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA is $140,370/year ($67.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $218K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $126,312 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,501/month, or 27.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $140K actually covers in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue’s Regional Price Parity (111.13). 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Pay for physicists in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $172K. Rent runs $2,501/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.13), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physicists in metros near Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls | $135K | $143K |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $172K | $163K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $140K. Top earners bring in $218K or more, a $143K 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Yes — at the median salary of $140K, rent takes 28.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,501/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,531/month. At HUD’s $2,501/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $140K here vs. $172K nationally.
How does Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue compare to the national average for physicists?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays $140K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $126K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $140,370 a year, that works out to about $67 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $75,520, and experienced physicists can clear $218,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $140K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,891/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month, which eats 28.1% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (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 $126,312 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.