State wages ยท Cost of living
Physicists pay by state
The highest published median is in Minnesota, at $222,550. Minnesota leads after cost of living, at $225,660. Kentucky has the lowest RPP among states paying at least the national median ($166,290).
National median
$166,290
Highest state median
$222,550
Minnesota
Best adjusted pay
$225,660
Minnesota
States and territories
52
Blank wages are not estimated
Pay at national average prices
Lower: $82,940Higher: $225,660Puerto Rico: No cost of living index
All states
52 rows
| Minnesota | $222,550 | +33.8% | 98.621 | $225,660 | 1 |
| Pennsylvania | $208,470 | +25.4% | 97.572 | $213,660 | 2 |
| Florida | $209,020 | +25.7% | 103.414 | $202,120 | 3 |
| Missouri | $180,450 | +8.5% | 90.817 | $198,700 | 4 |
| New Mexico | $175,960 | +5.8% | 92.212 | $190,820 | 5 |
| Arizona | $190,960 | +14.8% | 100.677 | $189,680 | 6 |
| Tennessee | $173,660 | +4.4% | 91.87 | $189,030 | 7 |
| Kentucky | $168,660 | +1.4% | 90.159 | $187,070 | 8 |
| Wisconsin | $174,010 | +4.6% | 94.095 | $184,930 | 9 |
| North Carolina | $170,690 | +2.6% | 94.326 | $180,960 | 10 |
| Oregon | $183,860 | +10.6% | 103.361 | $177,880 | 11 |
| Texas | $170,450 | +2.5% | 97.057 | $175,620 | 12 |
| New Hampshire | $179,440 | +7.9% | 104.165 | $172,270 | 13 |
| Connecticut | $171,630 | +3.2% | 103.61 | $165,650 | 14 |
| California | $180,900 | +8.8% | 110.72 | $163,390 | 15 |
| Virginia | $164,180 | -1.3% | 101.104 | $162,390 | 16 |
| New York | $174,160 | +4.7% | 107.921 | $161,380 | 17 |
| Maryland | $163,950 | -1.4% | 104.959 | $156,200 | 18 |
| New Jersey | $168,610 | +1.4% | 108.805 | $154,970 | 19 |
| Arkansas | $131,880 | -20.7% | 86.937 | $151,700 | 20 |
| Ohio | $135,550 | -18.5% | 92.774 | $146,110 | 21 |
| Massachusetts | $153,890 | -7.5% | 105.757 | $145,510 | 22 |
| Colorado | $144,670 | -13.0% | 103.052 | $140,390 | 23 |
| South Carolina | $131,100 | -21.2% | 93.749 | $139,840 | 24 |
| District of Columbia | $153,340 | -7.8% | 109.901 | $139,530 | 25 |
| Mississippi | $120,640 | -27.5% | 86.953 | $138,740 | 26 |
| Idaho | $132,060 | -20.6% | 95.494 | $138,290 | 27 |
| Iowa | $120,810 | -27.3% | 87.762 | $137,660 | 28 |
| Georgia | $131,500 | -20.9% | 96.293 | $136,560 | 29 |
| Utah | $133,900 | -19.5% | 98.864 | $135,440 | 30 |
| Illinois | $131,260 | -21.1% | 99.958 | $131,320 | 31 |
| Alabama | $114,690 | -31.0% | 88.823 | $129,120 | 32 |
| Indiana | $110,410 | -33.6% | 93.329 | $118,300 | 33 |
| Maine | $114,610 | -31.1% | 97.05 | $118,090 | 34 |
| Nevada | $116,080 | -30.2% | 99.979 | $116,100 | 35 |
| Washington | $120,080 | -27.8% | 107.013 | $112,210 | 36 |
| Michigan | $107,640 | -35.3% | 96.217 | $111,870 | 37 |
| Oklahoma | $84,570 | -49.1% | 87.843 | $96,270 | 38 |
| South Dakota | $78,390 | -52.9% | 88.586 | $88,490 | 39 |
| Delaware | $82,780 | -50.2% | 99.808 | $82,940 | 40 |
| Alaska | Not available | Not available | 102.359 | Not available | Not available |
| Hawaii | Not available | Not available | 109.951 | Not available | Not available |
| Kansas | Not available | Not available | 90.068 | Not available | Not available |
| Louisiana | Not available | Not available | 88.207 | Not available | Not available |
| Montana | Not available | Not available | 94.645 | Not available | Not available |
| Nebraska | Not available | Not available | 90.103 | Not available | Not available |
| North Dakota | Not available | Not available | 88.959 | Not available | Not available |
| Rhode Island | Not available | Not available | 102.28 | Not available | Not available |
| Vermont | Not available | Not available | 97.958 | Not available | Not available |
| West Virginia | Not available | Not available | 89.497 | Not available | Not available |
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Ranks are supplied source ranks for published wage observations. Cost of living comparisons exclude Puerto Rico. Some nominal source ranks exceed 52; they are retained without correction.