Highest-paying cities for physicists
Miami, FL leads at $272,480 a year. Pay is not adjusted for local prices; see each page for the cost-of-living view.
| Place | Median | 25th–75th |
|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL | $272,480 | $190,690–$285,400 |
| Tampa, FL | $266,260 | $222,230–$300,030 |
| Cleveland, OH | $239,360 | $184,170–$239,360 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $224,160 | $195,190–$241,360 |
| Richmond, VA | $218,290 | $164,480–$246,960 |
| Houston, TX | $199,770 | $108,850–$271,450 |
| Detroit, MI | $199,170 | $114,250–$223,630 |
| San Antonio, TX | $194,290 | $164,260–$253,070 |
| New York, NY | $181,970 | $132,420–$222,610 |
| Des Moines, IA | $178,110 | $107,510–$218,520 |
| Buffalo, NY | $175,060 | $117,540–$210,260 |
| San Jose, CA | $173,450 | $150,460–$226,750 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $173,160 | $129,390–$246,720 |
| Portland, OR | $172,080 | $160,880–$267,610 |
| Washington, DC | $171,580 | $134,990–$195,190 |
| Tucson, AZ | $171,190 | $102,620–$171,190 |
| Columbus, OH | $170,400 | $106,830–$218,520 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $168,450 | $165,130–$185,100 |
| Denver, CO | $166,140 | $130,640–$206,340 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $165,340 | $154,960–$203,570 |
| Knoxville, TN | $165,010 | $136,570–$165,010 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $164,850 | $82,590–$248,780 |
| Oxnard, CA | $163,210 | $116,080–$232,160 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $160,270 | $114,070–$203,420 |
| Albany, NY | $159,240 | $134,480–$197,820 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $158,070 | $108,160–$206,590 |
| Dallas, TX | $156,750 | $114,550–$255,250 |
| San Diego, CA | $156,480 | $107,970–$209,670 |
| Worcester, MA | $153,990 | $126,600–$187,450 |
| Dayton, OH | $151,050 | $125,150–$171,790 |
| Huntsville, AL | $149,990 | $110,240–$195,190 |
| Charlottesville, VA | $148,950 | $109,490–$202,960 |
| Palm Bay, FL | $146,350 | $116,770–$190,840 |
| Atlanta, GA | $144,870 | $106,860–$222,500 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $142,180 | $63,180–$175,180 |
| Kansas City, MO | $141,200 | $106,440–$227,810 |
| Seattle, WA | $140,370 | $101,900–$173,840 |
| Chicago, IL | $137,140 | $82,110–$175,510 |
| Madison, WI | $136,450 | $89,310–$157,440 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $135,260 | $101,170–$159,700 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $132,770 | $118,830–$156,750 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $130,500 | $111,450–$201,880 |
| Greenville, SC | $128,040 | $128,040–$179,310 |
| Sacramento, CA | $120,490 | $91,990–$140,460 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $117,190 | $98,680–$243,740 |
| Las Cruces, NM | $112,400 | $84,990–$144,040 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $110,930 | $104,920–$131,460 |
| Austin, TX | $107,340 | $77,790–$226,680 |
| Boston, MA | $106,000 | $82,070–$170,190 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $105,940 | $105,320–$176,030 |
Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025.