Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Urban Honolulu, HI is $117,190/year ($56.34/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $384K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $180K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Prices run high here (RPP 110.96), so that salary is closer to $105,615 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,642/month, about 36.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $117K get you in Urban Honolulu?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Urban Honolulu’s Regional Price Parity (110.96). 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 Urban Honolulu
Pay for physicists in Urban Honolulu runs about 32% below the U.S. median of $172K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,642/month, which is 38.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.96), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for physicistss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Urban Honolulu, HI
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $117K. Top earners bring in $384K or more, a $306K 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 Urban Honolulu numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Urban Honolulu?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $117K, rent takes 38.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,642/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Urban Honolulu?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,631/month. At HUD’s $2,642/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Urban Honolulu?
Local pay runs 32% below the national median — $117K here vs. $172K nationally.
How does Urban Honolulu compare to the national average for physicists?
Urban Honolulu pays $117K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $106K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in Urban Honolulu, HI?
The median is $117,190 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,190, and experienced physicists can clear $383,510. The mean (average) is $180,330, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $117K enough to live in Urban Honolulu?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,841/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,642/month, which eats 38.6% 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 Urban Honolulu?
Urban Honolulu has a Regional Price Parity of 110.96 (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 $105,615 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.