Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Virginia is $145,040/year ($69.73/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $98K at the entry level to $239K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $153,012 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 18.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $145K get you in Virginia?
About physicists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Virginia
Pay for physicists in Virginia runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $172K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,646/month, 19.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Virginia can be a reasonable trade-off for physicistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $98K. Mid-career wages sit at $145K. Top earners bring in $239K or more, a $141K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists salary by metro in Virginia
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $218K | +51% | 40 |
| Charlottesville | $149K | +3% | 50 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $111K | -24% | 240 |
Compare to other states
Track physicists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $145K, rent takes 19.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $98K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,863/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Virginia?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $145K here vs. $172K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for physicists?
Virginia pays $145K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $153K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in Virginia?
The median is $145,040 a year, that works out to about $70 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $97,720, and experienced physicists can clear $238,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $145K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,505/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 19.4% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $153,012 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.