Physicists Salary in California
State wage data from the BLS OEWS survey, May 2025.
Median annual
$207,490
Median hourly
$100
Average annual
$201,930
Employed in state
5.9K
The median annual salary for Physicists in California is $207,490, or about $100 an hour. That is 20% higher than the national median.
Pay in California ranges from $125,390 at the 10th percentile to $296,740 at the 90th percentile. Roughly 5.9K people work as physicists in the state.
Pay distribution in California
10th$125,390
25th$173,450
Median$207,490
75th$222,760
90th$296,740
Salary calculator
- Hourly
- $99.75
- Daily
- $798
- Weekly
- $3,990
- Bi-weekly
- $7,980
- Monthly
- $17,291
- Annual
- $207,490
$207,490 a year is around the 50th percentile for Physicistss in California. The median is $207,490.
Physicists pay by metro area in California
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $173,450 | 440 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $163,990 | N/A |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $163,210 | 50 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $160,270 | 550 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $156,480 | 290 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $135,260 | 80 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $120,490 | 100 |
Other jobs in California
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,800
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$31,200
- Retail Salespersons$35,410
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- Registered Nurses$97,550
- Cashiers$32,880
- Office Clerks, General$45,010
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- General and Operations Managers$105,770
- Software Developers$135,980
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$36,840
- Waiters and Waitresses$35,230
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640
- Security Guards$38,020
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
- Accountants and Auditors$83,680
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,660
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$69,990