Physics Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
The median pay for a physics teachers, postsecondary in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI is $103,780/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $115K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.55), that's roughly $108,613 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,519/month, or 23.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $104K actually covers in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood’s Regional Price Parity (95.55). 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 physics teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood
Physics teachers, postsecondary pay in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood tracks closely to the national median, $104K locally vs. $100K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,519/month, 23.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 95.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physics teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $105K | $105K |
| Ann Arbor | $141K | $140K |
| Cincinnati | $78K | $82K |
| Columbus | $101K | $106K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI
Entry-level physics teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $104K. Top earners bring in $115K or more, a $76K spread from bottom to top.
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Physics Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $139K | +39% | 1,130 |
| Connecticut | $112K | +12% | 260 |
| Massachusetts | $111K | +11% | 680 |
| Maryland | $111K | +11% | 300 |
| Michigan | $109K | +9% | 460 |
| New Mexico | $109K | +9% | 70 |
| Delaware | $109K | +8% | 70 |
| Minnesota | $107K | +7% | 250 |
| Idaho | $106K | +6% | 50 |
| Virginia | $104K | +4% | 610 |
| Oregon | $104K | +4% | 230 |
| Maine | $104K | +4% | 60 |
| Iowa | $104K | +4% | 120 |
| New York | $103K | +3% | 1,080 |
| Indiana | $103K | +3% | 270 |
| North Dakota | $102K | +1% | 40 |
| Georgia | $102K | +1% | 210 |
| Missouri | $100K | -0% | 230 |
| Utah | $100K | -0% | 120 |
| Colorado | $99K | -1% | 280 |
| New Hampshire | $99K | -1% | 40 |
| New Jersey | $99K | -1% | 530 |
| Nebraska | $98K | -2% | 70 |
| Vermont | $98K | -2% | 50 |
| Pennsylvania | $98K | -2% | 580 |
| West Virginia | $98K | -2% | 50 |
| Montana | $98K | -2% | 70 |
| Texas | $98K | -3% | 1,110 |
| Kansas | $97K | -3% | 110 |
| Washington | $97K | -3% | 310 |
| Nevada | $96K | -4% | 90 |
| Ohio | $96K | -4% | 420 |
| Illinois | $95K | -5% | 540 |
| Oklahoma | $92K | -9% | 90 |
| Louisiana | $90K | -10% | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $90K | -11% | 210 |
| North Carolina | $87K | -13% | 440 |
| South Dakota | $86K | -14% | 30 |
| District of Columbia | $85K | -15% | 130 |
| Alabama | $83K | -18% | 170 |
| South Carolina | $81K | -19% | 150 |
| Tennessee | $81K | -20% | 340 |
| Kentucky | $80K | -20% | 160 |
| Florida | $74K | -26% | 180 |
| Mississippi | $71K | -29% | 100 |
| Arizona | $66K | -34% | 350 |
| Arkansas | $65K | -35% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track physics teachers, postsecondary salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a physics teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Yes — at the median salary of $104K, rent takes 23.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,519/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physics teachers, postsecondaries in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physics teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,675/month. At HUD’s $1,519/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 physics teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $104K locally vs. $100K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood compare to the national average for physics teachers, postsecondaries?
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood pays $104K median vs. the U.S. average of $100K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $109K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physics teachers, postsecondaries make in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?
The median is $103,780 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,510, and experienced physics teachers, postsecondaries can clear $115,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $104K enough to live in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,415/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,519/month, which eats 23.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physics teachers, postsecondary salary go in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood has a Regional Price Parity of 95.55 (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 physics teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $108,613 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physics teachers, postsecondaries 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.