Physical Scientist, All Other Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Physical Scientists, All Other — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$122,570
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$58.93
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$195,190
entry level starts ~$67,000
Pay Grade
A
excellent pay · 22,000 employed

How much does a Physical Scientist, All Other make?

Physical Scientists, All Other in the United States bring home a median salary of $122,570 a year, or around $58.93 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $67,000, while the top 10% earn $195,190.

That is $61,180 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Physical Scientist, All Other salary range by percentile

Half of all Physical Scientists, All Other earn between $86,620 and $161,890 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$67,000$32.21
25th percentile (early career)$86,620$41.64
50th percentile (median)$122,570$58.93
75th percentile (experienced)$161,890$77.83
90th percentile (top earners)$195,190$93.84

Highest-paying states for Physical Scientist, All Other

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Physical Scientist, All Other pay at $156,730 a year, followed by Minnesota ($147,890) and North Dakota ($147,650). At the other end, Indiana posts the lowest median at $68,670 — a gap of $88,060 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1District of Columbia$156,730$75.35+28%
2Minnesota$147,890$71.10+21%
3North Dakota$147,650$70.99+20%
4Maryland$141,290$67.93+15%
5South Carolina$141,130$67.85+15%

Workforce and education

About 22,000 people work as Physical Scientists, All Other in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $129,230 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Physical Scientist, All Other make in the United States?
The median Physical Scientist, All Other salary in the United States is $122,570 per year, or about $58.93 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $67,000, while the top 10% of earners make $195,190 or more.
How does Physical Scientist, All Other pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of A (excellent pay), the Physical Scientist, All Other median of $122,570 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Physical Scientists, All Other the most?
District of Columbia is the highest-paying state for Physical Scientists, All Other, with a median salary of $156,730 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Physical Scientist, All Other?
Becoming a Physical Scientist, All Other typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Physical Scientists, All Other work in the United States?
About 22,000 people were employed as Physical Scientists, All Other in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.