How much does a physicist make in San Diego?
$156,500a year
Median yearly pay for physicists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area. That is $75.23 an hour or $13,040 a month.
- Hourly
- $75.23
- Vs. national median
- -9%
- Rank among cities
- 30 of 60
- Jobs in the area
- 290
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $84,450Median: $156,500Highest 10%: $219,100
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $84,450 | $40.60 | |
| 25th | $108,000 | $51.91 | |
| Median | $156,500 | $75.23 | |
| 75th | $209,700 | $100.80 | |
| 90th | $219,100 | $105.33 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for physicists.
| San Jose, CA | $173,500 |
| Riverside, CA | $164,000 |
| Oxnard, CA | $163,200 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $160,300 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $135,300 |
| Sacramento, CA | $120,500 |
Related jobs in San Diego
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Psychologist | $148,800 |
| Physical Scientist | $132,400 |
| School Psychologist | $131,100 |
| Medical Scientist | $131,000 |
| Epidemiologist | $125,300 |
| Economist | $122,800 |
| Biochemist and Biophysicist | $121,700 |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientist | $120,400 |
| Microbiologist | $108,900 |
| Biological Scientist | $108,400 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physicist make an hour in San Diego?
The median hourly pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $75.23 ($156,500 a year).
Do physicists make more in San Diego than the national average?
No: $156,500 against $172,300 nationally, 9% less.
How does San Diego compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $207,500, so San Diego pays 25% less.
Where does San Diego rank for physicist pay?
30 of 60 metro areas with data.
How much does a physicist make starting out in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% make $84,450 or less a year; the top 10% make $219,100 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.