How much does a physicist make in Philadelphia?
$164,900a year
Median yearly pay for physicists in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area. That is $79.25 an hour or $13,740 a month.
- Hourly
- $79.25
- Vs. national median
- -4%
- Rank among cities
- 23 of 60
- Jobs in the area
- 150
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $64,570Median: $164,900Highest 10%: $269,300
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $64,570 | $31.04 | |
| 25th | $82,590 | $39.71 | |
| Median | $164,900 | $79.25 | |
| 75th | $248,800 | $119.61 | |
| 90th | $269,300 | $129.46 |
Other cities in Pennsylvania
Median yearly pay for physicists.
| Pittsburgh, PA | $224,200 |
Related jobs in Philadelphia
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Economist | $139,500 |
| Physical Scientist | $137,200 |
| Biochemist and Biophysicist | $134,100 |
| Materials Scientist | $127,500 |
| Psychologist | $120,000 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologist | $112,700 |
| Biological Scientist | $106,700 |
| Medical Scientist | $103,000 |
| Microbiologist | $102,000 |
| Social Scientist and Related Worker | $97,570 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physicist make an hour in Philadelphia?
The median hourly pay in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $79.25 ($164,900 a year).
Do physicists make more in Philadelphia than the national average?
No: $164,900 against $172,300 nationally, 4% less.
How does Philadelphia compare with the rest of Pennsylvania?
The median in Pennsylvania is $211,000, so Philadelphia pays 22% less.
Where does Philadelphia rank for physicist pay?
23 of 60 metro areas with data.
How much does a physicist make starting out in Philadelphia?
The lowest-paid 10% make $64,570 or less a year; the top 10% make $269,300 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.