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Role hub · Physicists

Physicist: what the job is, what it pays, and how to get hired.

The work, the skills that matter, the tools in demand and the pay range, from U.S. government data, plus every TryHired page for the role.

Maid DizdarevicCareer coach · 8x LinkedIn Top Voice
Updated Oct 24, 2026 · Data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · O*NET 31.0
Pay ladder · select a percentile
Median percentile pay

Half of physicists earn more than this and half earn less.

Annual
$172,250
Hourly
$82.81
Source
BLS May 2025
Quick answer

Physicists conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories on the basis of observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories. The median pay is $172,250 a year ($82.81 an hour) (BLS, May 2025). The most commonly reported education requirement is a doctoral degree (49% of workers surveyed by O*NET).

Median pay
$172,250
BLS May 2025
Employed in the U.S.
20,430
BLS May 2025
Preparation
Job Zone 5 of 5
extensive preparation
Most common education
Doctoral Degree
49% of workers
Explore the role

Every page for Physicists

SalaryPhysicist salary

Pay by percentile, state and metro, with a negotiation script.

Open →Career changePhysicist career change

Where these skills transfer, with skill match and pay change.

Open →Free toolCheck your resume

Parsed text, evidence per bullet, fixes first.

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The work

What physicists do day to day

Data Core tasks rated most important by workers in the role (O*NET).

  1. Analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena.
  2. Report experimental results by writing papers for scientific journals or by presenting information at scientific conferences.
  3. Perform complex calculations as part of the analysis and evaluation of data, using computers.
  4. Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms.
  5. Collaborate with other scientists in the design, development, and testing of experimental, industrial, or medical equipment, instrumentation, and procedures.
  6. Write research proposals to receive funding.
  7. Design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood.
  8. Teach physics to students.
Skills that matter

Ranked by importance to the job

Data O*NET importance ratings. The first three are core.

SciencecoreCritical ThinkingcoreReading ComprehensioncoreSpeakingMathematicsActive LearningComplex Problem SolvingWritingActive Listening

Knowledge areas: Physics, Mathematics, Computers and Electronics, Engineering and Technology, English Language, Education and Training.

Tools and technology

Software physicists use

Data Examples reported for the role; employer demand flags from O*NET.

  • Adobe PhotoshopGraphics or photo imaging softwareHot technology
  • Ansible softwareExpert system softwareHot technology
  • Autodesk AutoCADComputer aided design CAD softwareHot technology
  • Extensible markup language XMLEnterprise application integration softwareHot technology
  • GitFile versioning softwareHot technology
  • PuppetConfiguration management softwareHot technology
  • The MathWorks MATLABAnalytical or scientific softwareHot technology
  • Adobe AuditionMusic or sound editing software
  • Aptech Systems GAUSSAnalytical or scientific software
  • CERN Physics Analysis Workstation PAWAnalytical or scientific software
  • CERN ROOTAnalytical or scientific software
  • COMSOL MultiphysicsAnalytical or scientific software

Also called: Astrophysicist, Biophysics Scientist, Health Physicist, Medical Physicist, Research Physicist, Scientist.

Method

How this page is built

Tasks, skills, tools, education and related roles come from O*NET 31.0. Pay and employment come from the BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates. The skill-match score is our calculation: Skill match is the correlation between the two occupations' skill profiles: for each of 35 O*NET skills (10 essential, 25 transferable) we multiply importance by level, subtract the average across all occupations, and correlate the two profiles. 100 means identical shape; 0 or below means unrelated. Only occupations that O*NET itself lists as related are compared.

What this page can't tell you
  • How a specific employer defines the job.
  • Pay for self-employed workers (OEWS covers employees).
  • Your own chances: data describes the occupation, not you.
Sources
  1. O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).