Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Trenton-Princeton, NJ is $135,030/year ($64.92/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $102K at the entry level to $226K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.18), that's roughly $130,868 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,950/month, or 24.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $135K get you in Trenton-Princeton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Trenton-Princeton’s Regional Price Parity (103.18). 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 Trenton-Princeton
Pay for physicists in Trenton-Princeton runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $172K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,950/month, 24.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 103.18) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Trenton-Princeton can be a reasonable trade-off for physicistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physicists in metros near Trenton-Princeton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $182K | $162K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $165K | $161K |
| Pittsburgh | $224K | $237K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $159K | $160K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $102K. Mid-career wages sit at $135K. Top earners bring in $226K or more, a $123K 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 Trenton-Princeton numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Trenton-Princeton?
Yes — at the median salary of $135K, rent takes 24.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,950/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Trenton-Princeton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $102K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,146/month. At HUD’s $1,950/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $135K here vs. $172K nationally.
How does Trenton-Princeton compare to the national average for physicists?
Trenton-Princeton pays $135K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $131K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
The median is $135,030 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $102,440, and experienced physicists can clear $225,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $135K enough to live in Trenton-Princeton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,048/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,950/month, which eats 24.2% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Trenton-Princeton has a Regional Price Parity of 103.18 (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 $130,868 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.