Best cities for a research physicist
The best cities for research physicists are Brookhaven, NY, Cleveland, OH, and Madison, WI, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for research physicists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for research physicists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a research physicist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for research physicists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for research physicists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a research physicist. While the absolute best city for research physicists is Brookhaven, NY, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for research physicists in 2024.
If you're looking for a research physicist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for research physicists in 2026
1. Brookhaven, NY
Total research physicist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $109,349 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $164,000 Location quotient: 0.00 2. Cleveland, OH
Total research physicist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $87,742 Lowest 10 percent warn: $58,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location quotient: 0.00 3. Madison, WI
Total research physicist jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $83,673 Lowest 10 percent warn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000 Location quotient: 78.61 4. Islip, NY
Total research physicist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $109,172 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $164,000 Location quotient: 0.00 5. Oyster Bay, NY
Total research physicist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $109,148 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $164,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. Hempstead, NY
Total research physicist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $108,942 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $163,000 Location quotient: 0.00 7. New York, NY
Total research physicist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $108,839 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $163,000 Location quotient: 1.74 8. Minneapolis, MN
Total research physicist jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $88,785 Lowest 10 percent warn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location quotient: 83.31 9. Tulsa, OK
Total research physicist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $82,178 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Albuquerque, NM
Total research physicist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $84,371 Lowest 10 percent warn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location quotient: 42.77
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Best cities for research physicists
- Brookhaven, NY
- Cleveland, OH
- Madison, WI
- Islip, NY
- Oyster Bay, NY
- Hempstead, NY
- New York, NY
- Minneapolis, MN
- Tulsa, OK
- Albuquerque, NM
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- (5 research physicist jobs)
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- (2 research physicist jobs)
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Detailed list of the best cities for a research physicist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brookhaven, NY | $109,349 | $72,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | $87,742 | $58,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 3 | Madison, WI | $83,673 | $55,000 | 252,551 | 5 |
| 4 | Islip, NY | $109,172 | $72,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 5 | Oyster Bay, NY | $109,148 | $72,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 6 | Hempstead, NY | $108,942 | $72,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 7 | New York, NY | $108,839 | $72,000 | 8,537,673 | 2 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $88,785 | $59,000 | 413,651 | 11 |
| 9 | Tulsa, OK | $82,178 | $53,000 | 403,090 | - |
| 10 | Albuquerque, NM | $84,371 | $55,000 | 559,277 | 2 |
| 11 | Oklahoma City, OK | $81,990 | $53,000 | 638,367 | - |
| 12 | Buffalo, NY | $108,727 | $71,000 | 256,902 | - |
| 13 | Toledo, OH | $86,870 | $57,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 14 | Milwaukee, WI | $84,154 | $55,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $84,839 | $56,000 | 860,090 | - |
| 16 | Cincinnati, OH | $83,051 | $54,000 | 298,800 | - |
| 17 | Reno, NV | $85,317 | $58,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 18 | Lincoln, NE | $81,073 | $53,000 | 280,364 | - |
| 19 | Memphis, TN | $75,313 | $48,000 | 652,717 | 4 |
| 20 | Saint Paul, MN | $88,808 | $59,000 | 302,398 | - |
| 21 | Las Vegas, NV | $79,368 | $53,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 22 | North Las Vegas, NV | $79,361 | $53,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 23 | Omaha, NE | $81,676 | $54,000 | 446,970 | - |
| 24 | Henderson, NV | $78,978 | $53,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 25 | Nashville, TN | $77,208 | $50,000 | 660,388 | - |
| 26 | Philadelphia, PA | $79,728 | $52,000 | 1,567,872 | - |
| 27 | Lexington, KY | $71,852 | $47,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 28 | Baltimore, MD | $97,672 | $64,000 | 614,664 | - |
| 29 | Boston, MA | $89,672 | $59,000 | 673,184 | 2 |
| 30 | Detroit, MI | $77,101 | $51,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 31 | Durham, NC | $72,078 | $47,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 32 | Pittsburgh, PA | $77,381 | $51,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 33 | Lubbock, TX | $73,107 | $47,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 34 | Denver, CO | $86,904 | $58,000 | 693,060 | - |
| 35 | Aurora, CO | $86,830 | $58,000 | 361,710 | - |
| 36 | Louisville, KY | $71,601 | $46,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 37 | Colorado Springs, CO | $86,016 | $57,000 | 465,101 | - |
| 38 | Raleigh, NC | $71,798 | $46,000 | 458,880 | - |
| 39 | New Orleans, LA | $71,936 | $45,000 | 391,495 | - |
| 40 | Greensboro, NC | $71,752 | $46,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 41 | Anchorage, AK | $81,255 | $64,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 42 | Winston-Salem, NC | $71,591 | $46,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 43 | Saint Louis, MO | $73,626 | $48,000 | 311,404 | - |
| 44 | Plano, TX | $71,458 | $45,000 | 286,057 | - |
| 45 | Kansas City, MO | $73,272 | $48,000 | 481,420 | - |
| 46 | Fort Worth, TX | $71,450 | $45,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 47 | Jersey City, NJ | $82,874 | $55,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 48 | El Paso, TX | $72,046 | $46,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 49 | Irving, TX | $71,421 | $45,000 | 238,289 | - |
| 50 | Newark, NJ | $82,858 | $55,000 | 281,764 | - |
Highest paying cities for research physicists
| Rank | City | Avg. research physicist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coram, NY | $109,353 |
| 2 | Gaithersburg, MD | $96,941 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $89,672 |
| 4 | Minneapolis, MN | $88,785 |
| 5 | Broomfield, CO | $87,099 |
| 6 | Dayton, OH | $84,138 |
| 7 | Madison, WI | $83,673 |
| 8 | Davis, CA | $79,132 |
| 9 | Oak Ridge, TN | $77,622 |
| 10 | Royal Oak, MI | $77,215 |
| 11 | Champaign, IL | $71,330 |
| 12 | Austin, TX | $68,724 |
| 13 | Tallahassee, FL | $62,018 |
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Updated January 8, 2025