Physical scientist demographics and statistics in the US
Physical scientist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates physical scientist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our physical scientist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about physical scientists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 13,248 physical scientists currently employed in the United States.
- 31.7% of all physical scientists are women, while 68.3% are men.
- The average physical scientist age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of physical scientists is White (54.4%), followed by Asian (27.9%), Hispanic or Latino (8.4%) and Unknown (5.4%).
- Physical scientists are most in-demand in Huntsville, AL.
- Novato, CA pays an annual average wage of $99,328, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women physical scientists earned 96% of what men earned.
- Rhode Island is the best state for physical scientists to live.
- Physical scientists are 39% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Physical scientist demographics by:
Physical scientist gender statistics
31.7% of physical scientists are women and 68.3% of physical scientists are men.
- Male, 68.3%
- Female, 31.7%
Physical scientist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 68.3% |
| Female | 31.7% |
Physical scientist gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$84,999
Female income
$81,213
Physical scientist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in physical scientist positions over time. Currently, 31.7% of physical scientists are female.
Physical scientist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.20% | 25.80% |
| 2011 | 71.51% | 28.49% |
| 2012 | 70.87% | 29.13% |
| 2013 | 71.23% | 28.77% |
| 2014 | 71.17% | 28.83% |
| 2015 | 70.68% | 29.32% |
| 2016 | 69.03% | 30.97% |
| 2017 | 70.58% | 29.42% |
| 2018 | 69.34% | 30.66% |
| 2019 | 68.56% | 31.44% |
| 2020 | 68.96% | 31.04% |
| 2021 | 68.32% | 31.68% |
Physical scientist related jobs gender ratio
We compared physical scientists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, seismologist and optical scientist have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Aerologist | 11% | 89% |
| Senior Advocate | 33% | 67% |
| Physical Scientist | 68% | 32% |
| Remote Sensing Engineer | 91% | 9% |
| Optical Scientist | 91% | 9% |
| Seismologist | 94% | 6% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Physical scientist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among physical scientists is White, which makes up 54.4% of all physical scientists. Comparatively, 27.9% of physical scientists are Asian and 8.4% of physical scientists are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 54.4%
- Asian, 27.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 8.4%
- Unknown, 5.4%
- Black or African American, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Physical scientist race
| Physical scientist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 54.4% |
| Asian | 27.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.4% |
| Unknown | 5.4% |
| Black or African American | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Physical scientist race and ethnicity over time
See how physical scientist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Physical scientist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64.64% | 3.48% | 23.45% | 5.91% |
| 2011 | 65.19% | 3.14% | 23.15% | 6.48% |
| 2012 | 63.67% | 3.35% | 23.60% | 6.59% |
| 2013 | 64.90% | 3.78% | 22.89% | 6.01% |
| 2014 | 64.43% | 3.18% | 24.41% | 5.71% |
| 2015 | 64.39% | 3.38% | 23.55% | 6.32% |
| 2016 | 62.57% | 3.64% | 24.01% | 7.18% |
| 2017 | 63.81% | 3.33% | 23.68% | 6.75% |
| 2018 | 60.34% | 3.76% | 25.94% | 7.20% |
| 2019 | 59.52% | 3.49% | 26.22% | 8.10% |
| 2020 | 58.73% | 3.10% | 25.76% | 7.98% |
| 2021 | 54.45% | 3.71% | 27.88% | 8.44% |
Physical scientist wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown physical scientists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino physical scientists have the lowest average salary at $82,045.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $87,171 |
| White | $86,416 |
| Black or African American | $83,058 |
| Asian | $86,432 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $82,045 |
Average physical scientist age
See how the average age of physical scientists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Physical scientist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 37 | 36 |
| White | 38 | 38 |
| Black or African American | 41.5 | 37 |
| Asian | 39 | 40 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36 | 33 |
Physical scientist age breakdown
The average age of physical scientists is 40+ years years old, representing 45% of the physical scientist population.
Physical scientist age breakdown
| Physical Scientist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 45% |
| 30-40 years | 40% |
| 20-30 years | 15% |
Physical scientist educational attainment
The most common degree for physical scientists is bachelor's degree, with 71% of physical scientists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 18% and master's degree degree at 6%.
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 18%
- Associate, 6%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 1%
Physical scientists by degree level
| Physical scientist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 71% |
| Master's | 18% |
| Associate | 6% |
| Doctorate | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
Physical scientist jobs you might like
Physical scientist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, physical scientists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $94,445 annually. With a Master's degree, physical scientists earn a median annual income of $82,849 compared to $78,483 for physical scientists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $82,849 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $78,483 |
| Doctorate Degree | $94,445 |
Physical scientist employment statistics
Most physical scientists work for a private in the government industry.
Company size where physical scientists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where physical scientists work.
Physical scientist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 28% |
| > 10,000 employees | 22% |
Physical scientist jobs by company type
Employees with the physical scientist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most physical scientists prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Physical scientist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 9% |
| Public | 12% |
| Private | 39% |
| Government | 39% |
Physical scientist jobs by industry
The most common industries for physical scientists are government, technology and health care.
Physical scientist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 28% |
| Technology | 18% |
| Health Care | 11% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Non Profits | 8% |
| Education | 7% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Physical scientist turnover and employment statistics
Physical scientist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for physical scientists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Physical scientist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Physical scientist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.14% |
| 2011 | 2.21% |
| 2012 | 2.98% |
| 2013 | 2.91% |
| 2014 | 2.69% |
| 2015 | 2.97% |
| 2016 | 2.45% |
| 2017 | 1.45% |
| 2018 | 1.53% |
| 2019 | 1.69% |
| 2020 | 2.40% |
| 2021 | 1.97% |
Average physical scientist tenure
The average physical scientist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 412 physical scientists resumes in Zippia's database.
Physical scientist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 12% |
| 1-2 years | 37% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 20% |
Physical scientist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of physical scientists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Geophysical Laboratory Chief | 4.45% | 51,478 |
| Water Chemist | 5.26% | 8,829 |
| Physical Scientist | 8.32% | - |
| Air Pollution Specialist | 15.61% | 2,228 |
Similar physical scientist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Geophysical Laboratory Chief | 4.45% | 51,478 |
| Water Chemist | 5.26% | 8,829 |
| Air Pollution Specialist | 15.61% | 2,228 |
Foreign languages spoken by physical scientists
The most common foreign language among physical scientists is Spanish at 31.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 20.0% and French is the third-most popular at 11.4%.
- Spanish, 31.4%
- German, 20.0%
- French, 11.4%
- Cantonese, 8.6%
- Korean, 8.6%
- Other, 20.0%
Physical scientist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 31.4% |
| German | 20.0% |
| French | 11.4% |
| Cantonese | 8.6% |
| Korean | 8.6% |
| Other | 20.0% |
