Paycheck Atlas

Physicists salary in Los Angeles, CA

The median physicists in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA earns $160,270 a year, 7% below the US median. After tax that is roughly $9,133 a month.

10th percentile
$88,000
25th percentile
$114,070
Median percentile
$160,270
75th percentile
$203,420
90th percentile
$275,560

Based on 550 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.

What you keep

$109,592 take-home a year
Gross pay$160,270
Federal income tax−$27,199
Social Security + Medicare−$12,261
California income tax (approx.)−$11,219
Monthly take-home$9,133
Every two weeks$4,215

Does it go far here?

$141,125Median pay in Los Angeles, CA is worth this at average US prices (local price level 113.6 vs 100).
23%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,063 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in Los Angeles, CA

JobMedian pay
Psychiatrists$370,510
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$364,730
Chief Executives$234,290
Computer and Information Systems Managers$204,370
Physicians, All Other$196,760
Lawyers$194,410
Natural Sciences Managers$193,340
Architectural and Engineering Managers$190,900

All physicists salaries · Take-home pay in California