Best cities for a physical scientist
The best cities for physical scientists are Las Vegas, NV, Pittsburgh, PA, and Glendale, AZ, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for physical scientists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for physical scientists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a physical scientist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for physical scientists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for physical scientists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a physical scientist. While the absolute best city for physical scientists is Las Vegas, NV, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for physical scientists in 2024.
If you're looking for a physical scientist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for physical scientists in 2026
1. Las Vegas, NV
Total physical scientist jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $89,144 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $186,000 Location quotient: 3.56 2. Pittsburgh, PA
Total physical scientist jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $77,456 Lowest 10 percent warn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location quotient: 4.44 3. Glendale, AZ
Total physical scientist jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $79,719 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $177,000 Location quotient: 24.37 4. Fremont, CA
Total physical scientist jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $98,821 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $198,000 Location quotient: 3.34 5. Sacramento, CA
Total physical scientist jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $97,833 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $195,000 Location quotient: 4.03 6. Cincinnati, OH
Total physical scientist jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $73,273 Lowest 10 percent warn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000 Location quotient: 3.11 7. Lexington, KY
Total physical scientist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $71,139 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Location quotient: 5.40 8. North Las Vegas, NV
Total physical scientist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $88,896 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $186,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Reno, NV
Total physical scientist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $93,902 Lowest 10 percent warn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $186,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Henderson, NV
Total physical scientist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $88,567 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $186,000 Location quotient: 0.00
Choose from 10+ customizable physical scientist resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use physical scientist resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your physical scientist resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for physical scientists
- Las Vegas, NV
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Glendale, AZ
- Fremont, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Cincinnati, OH
- Lexington, KY
- North Las Vegas, NV
- Reno, NV
- Henderson, NV
- (5 physical scientist jobs)
- (8 physical scientist jobs)
- (4 physical scientist jobs)
- (4 physical scientist jobs)
- (5 physical scientist jobs)
- (4 physical scientist jobs)
- (2 physical scientist jobs)
- (0 physical scientist jobs)
- (0 physical scientist jobs)
- (0 physical scientist jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a physical scientist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas, NV | $89,144 | $42,000 | 632,912 | 5 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh, PA | $77,456 | $41,000 | 303,625 | 8 |
| 3 | Glendale, AZ | $79,719 | $35,000 | 245,895 | 4 |
| 4 | Fremont, CA | $98,821 | $49,000 | 233,136 | 4 |
| 5 | Sacramento, CA | $97,833 | $49,000 | 495,234 | 5 |
| 6 | Cincinnati, OH | $73,273 | $38,000 | 298,800 | 4 |
| 7 | Lexington, KY | $71,139 | $35,000 | 318,449 | 2 |
| 8 | North Las Vegas, NV | $88,896 | $42,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 9 | Reno, NV | $93,902 | $47,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 10 | Henderson, NV | $88,567 | $42,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 11 | Detroit, MI | $76,976 | $43,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $80,051 | $42,000 | 1,567,872 | - |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $77,294 | $42,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 14 | Toledo, OH | $76,216 | $42,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 15 | Albuquerque, NM | $73,326 | $32,000 | 559,277 | 6 |
| 16 | San Francisco, CA | $99,295 | $49,000 | 870,887 | 3 |
| 17 | San Jose, CA | $98,695 | $49,000 | 1,025,350 | 4 |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $75,205 | $40,000 | 860,090 | - |
| 19 | Oakland, CA | $99,081 | $49,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 20 | Portland, OR | $82,017 | $46,000 | 639,863 | 5 |
| 21 | Fort Wayne, IN | $74,841 | $41,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 22 | Phoenix, AZ | $79,669 | $35,000 | 1,615,017 | 1 |
| 23 | Tucson, AZ | $74,454 | $32,000 | 530,706 | 2 |
| 24 | Milwaukee, WI | $74,942 | $43,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 25 | Los Angeles, CA | $88,255 | $41,000 | 3,976,322 | 8 |
| 26 | Scottsdale, AZ | $79,605 | $35,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 27 | Stockton, CA | $98,013 | $48,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 28 | Fresno, CA | $96,391 | $47,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 29 | Mesa, AZ | $78,825 | $35,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 30 | Chandler, AZ | $78,774 | $35,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 31 | Riverside, CA | $86,765 | $40,000 | 324,722 | 1 |
| 32 | Chicago, IL | $73,913 | $41,000 | 2,704,958 | 19 |
| 33 | Seattle, WA | $81,513 | $47,000 | 704,352 | 5 |
| 34 | Minneapolis, MN | $73,534 | $43,000 | 413,651 | 2 |
| 35 | Madison, WI | $74,109 | $42,000 | 252,551 | - |
| 36 | Durham, NC | $68,332 | $31,000 | 263,016 | 7 |
| 37 | Gilbert, AZ | $78,659 | $34,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 38 | Indianapolis, IN | $72,896 | $38,000 | 855,164 | - |
| 39 | Louisville, KY | $70,274 | $35,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 40 | Anchorage, AK | $71,899 | $47,000 | 298,192 | 8 |
| 41 | Saint Paul, MN | $73,603 | $43,000 | 302,398 | - |
| 42 | Irvine, CA | $86,360 | $40,000 | 266,122 | 3 |
| 43 | Jersey City, NJ | $81,175 | $43,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 44 | Bakersfield, CA | $93,475 | $44,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 45 | Newark, NJ | $81,128 | $43,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 46 | Long Beach, CA | $87,109 | $41,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 47 | Anaheim, CA | $87,017 | $41,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 48 | Brookhaven, NY | $81,695 | $43,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 49 | Boston, MA | $77,481 | $41,000 | 673,184 | 5 |
| 50 | Islip, NY | $81,603 | $43,000 | 335,543 | - |
Highest paying cities for physical scientists
| Rank | City | Avg. physical scientist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novato, CA | $99,328 |
| 2 | Carson City, NV | $94,490 |
| 3 | Flagstaff, AZ | $82,013 |
| 4 | Kirkland, WA | $81,400 |
| 5 | Fall River, MA | $79,840 |
| 6 | Germantown, MD | $77,792 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $77,611 |
| 8 | Arlington, VA | $77,582 |
| 9 | Ann Arbor, MI | $76,500 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $73,913 |
| 11 | Albuquerque, NM | $73,326 |
| 12 | Cincinnati, OH | $73,273 |
| 13 | Anchorage, AK | $71,899 |
| 14 | Sioux Falls, SD | $70,242 |
| 15 | Durham, NC | $68,332 |
| 16 | Saint Louis, MO | $67,701 |
| 17 | Lakewood, CO | $67,575 |
| 18 | Oak Ridge, TN | $62,623 |
| 19 | Little Rock, AR | $55,062 |
| 20 | Huntsville, AL | $54,881 |
Physical scientist best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
Search for physical scientist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025