Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Experimental physicist salary
Average experimental physicist salary
$64,791
Average Experimental Physicist Salary
The salary of an Experimental Physicist typically starts at around $64,791 annually, with variations based on location, experience, and specific research fields. For example, experimental physicists in high-demand areas may earn significantly more. Understanding these factors is crucial for aspiring physicists seeking competitive salaries.
Where Can Experimental Physicists Earn More?
States like California, Texas, and New York often offer higher salaries for this profession. These states are home to major research institutions and universities that attract talent and funding. Job seekers can leverage this information to target their applications effectively.
Salary Estimates by State
Research shows that salaries can vary significantly across states. For instance, physicists in California report earnings that can exceed $70,000, while those in less populated states may average around $58,000. By examining these state-specific salary trends, candidates can make informed decisions on where to apply.
Let Zippia find your next experimental physicist job
Let Zippia find your next experimental physicist job
Where can an Experimental Physicist earn more?
Experimental physicist salary estimates from across the web
Average experimental physicist salary by state
The highest-paying states for experimental physicists are Alaska, Connecticut, and Maryland. The lowest average experimental physicist salary states are Georgia, Idaho, and Iowa.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for experimental physicists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $104,739 | $50.36 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $90,464 | $43.49 |
| 3 | Maryland | $93,008 | $44.72 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $83,399 | $40.10 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $82,554 | $39.69 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $76,801 | $36.92 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $82,122 | $39.48 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $96,139 | $46.22 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $70,825 | $34.05 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $67,506 | $32.45 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $80,082 | $38.50 |
| 12 | New York | $84,350 | $40.55 |
| 13 | Nevada | $79,956 | $38.44 |
| 14 | Michigan | $69,547 | $33.44 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $76,917 | $36.98 |
| 16 | Delaware | $81,784 | $39.32 |
| 17 | Ohio | $76,827 | $36.94 |
| 18 | California | $78,958 | $37.96 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $71,940 | $34.59 |
| 20 | Texas | $63,789 | $30.67 |
| 21 | Washington | $67,838 | $32.61 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $64,254 | $30.89 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $61,082 | $29.37 |
| 24 | Arizona | $64,280 | $30.90 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $59,913 | $28.80 |
| 26 | Colorado | $61,258 | $29.45 |
| 27 | Vermont | $71,797 | $34.52 |
| 28 | Maine | $66,251 | $31.85 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $57,453 | $27.62 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $64,287 | $30.91 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $59,781 | $28.74 |
| 32 | Utah | $56,547 | $27.19 |
| 33 | Illinois | $61,083 | $29.37 |
| 34 | Alabama | $61,362 | $29.50 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $60,235 | $28.96 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $58,736 | $28.24 |
| 37 | Florida | $51,780 | $24.89 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $58,028 | $27.90 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $57,862 | $27.82 |
| 40 | Virginia | $55,047 | $26.46 |
| 41 | Oregon | $57,184 | $27.49 |
| 42 | Idaho | $46,452 | $22.33 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $39,228 | $18.86 |
| 44 | Montana | $55,470 | $26.67 |
| 45 | Georgia | $50,044 | $24.06 |
| 46 | Kansas | $50,590 | $24.32 |
| 47 | Missouri | $54,902 | $26.40 |
| 48 | Indiana | $52,084 | $25.04 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $36,541 | $17.57 |
| 50 | Iowa | $44,524 | $21.41 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $41,022 | $19.72 |
Highest paying cities for experimental physicists
The highest-paying cities for experimental physicists are Fulton, MD, Berwyn Heights, MD, and Menlo Park, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fulton, MD | $94,101 | $45.24 |
| 2 | Berwyn Heights, MD | $93,720 | $45.06 |
| 3 | Menlo Park, CA | $83,688 | $40.23 |
| 4 | Santa Clara, CA | $83,467 | $40.13 |
| 5 | Livermore, CA | $82,982 | $39.90 |
| 6 | San Diego, CA | $74,718 | $35.92 |
| 7 | Oak Ridge, TN | $61,854 | $29.74 |
| 8 | Boulder, CO | $60,784 | $29.22 |
Experimental physicist salary details
An experimental physicist's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $142,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an experimental physicist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $142,000 | $11,833 | $68 |
| 75th Percentile | $98,000 | $8,167 | $47 |
| Average | $64,791 | $5,399 | $31 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying experimental physicist jobs
The highest paying types of experimental physicists are medical physicist, nuclear scientist, and physicist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicist | $110,869 | $9,239 | $53.30 | 803 |
| Research Physicist | $74,663 | $6,222 | $35.90 | 46,060 |
| Computational Physicist | $61,519 | $5,127 | $29.58 | 865 |
| Health Physicist | $74,942 | $6,245 | $36.03 | 47,640 |
| Medical Physicist | $122,845 | $10,237 | $59.06 | 46,513 |
Top companies hiring experimental physicists now:
Which companies pay experimental physicists the most?
Experimental physicist salaries at University of Maryland, Baltimore and Applied Materials are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average experimental physicist salary at companies like Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Maryland, Baltimore | $150,787 | $72.49 |
| 2 | Applied Materials | $131,247 | $63.10 |
| 3 | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | $98,733 | $47.47 |
| 4 | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | $97,459 | $46.86 |
| 5 | The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory | $95,182 | $45.76 |
| 6 | ColdQuanta | $62,462 | $30.03 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Experimental physicist salary trends
The average experimental physicist salary has risen by $11,720 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average experimental physicist earned $53,071 annually, but today, they earn $64,791 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for experimental physicists over the last decade.
Compare experimental physicist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average experimental physicist salary over time
Compare experimental physicist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Experimental physicist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $64,800 | $31.15 | +5.4% |
| 2024 | $61,300 | $29.47 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $60,400 | $29.01 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $59,300 | $28.51 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | $57,800 | $27.80 | +3.7% |
Recently added experimental physicist salaries
Experimental physicist salary FAQs
Search for experimental physicist jobs