Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Texas is $184,040/year ($88.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $70K at the entry level to $290K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $201,159 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 12.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $184K actually covers in Texas, month by month
About physicists
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What this looks like in Texas
Physicists pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $184K locally vs. $172K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,415/month, 12.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $70K. Mid-career wages sit at $184K. Top earners bring in $290K or more, a $220K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists salary by metro in Texas
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $200K | +9% | 140 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $194K | +6% | 100 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $157K | -15% | 80 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $107K | -42% | 120 |
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Track physicists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Texas 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 Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $184K, rent takes 12.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $70K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,800/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $184K locally vs. $172K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for physicists?
Texas pays $184K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $201K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physicists make in Texas?
The median is $184,040 a year, that works out to about $88 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,960, and experienced physicists can clear $289,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $184K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $11,420/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 12.4% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $201,159 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.