Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Wisconsin is $173,120/year ($83.23/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $89K at the entry level to $292K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $183,526 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,202/month, or 11.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $173K actually covers in Wisconsin, month by month
About physicists
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Physicists pay in Wisconsin tracks closely to the national median, $173K locally vs. $172K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,202/month, 11.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Wisconsin
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $89K. Mid-career wages sit at $173K. Top earners bring in $292K or more, a $203K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists salary by metro in Wisconsin
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $173K | +0% | 50 |
| Madison | $136K | -21% | 80 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin?
Yes — at the median salary of $173K, rent takes 11.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physicists in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $89K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,627/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 21% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Wisconsin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $173K locally vs. $172K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for physicists?
Wisconsin pays $173K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $184K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physicists make in Wisconsin?
The median is $173,120 a year, that works out to about $83 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $89,310, and experienced physicists can clear $291,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $173K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,079/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 11.9% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $183,526 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.