Physicist salary
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A physicist earns a median of $172,250 a year ($82.81 an hour) in the US, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The average is $171,180. About 20,430 people work in this job.
Take-home pay on $172,250
- Gross pay
- $6,625.00
- Federal income tax
- −$1,156.69
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$410.75
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$96.06
- Texas income tax
- $0.00No state income tax on wages
- Take-home pay
- $4,961.50
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $172,250
- Federal
- $30,074
- FICA
- $13,177
- State + local
- $0
- Net
- $128,999
- Marginal federal rate
- 24.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 0.0%
2026 federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) and 2026 state rules. Estimates assume wages are your only income and use annual liability, so your actual withholding can differ slightly.
Similar jobs
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologist: $193,950
- Political Scientist: $142,080
- Astronomer: $128,820
- Biochemist and Biophysicist: $127,410
- Economist: $124,720
- Physical Scientist: $122,570
- Materials Scientist: $117,790
- Psychologist: $110,840
BLS occupation: Physicists. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (SOC 19-2012). Excludes the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physicist make an hour?
The median hourly wage is $82.81; the average is $82.30.
What is the salary range for a physicist?
The bottom 10% earn under $82,110 and the top 10% earn over $274,110 a year.
How much is $172,250 after taxes?
About $128,999 a year in Texas (no state income tax) or $114,985 in California for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.