Physicists pay range in Sacramento
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $66,510 a year or less, while the top 10% make $225,780 or more. The middle half of physicists in Sacramento earn between $91,990 and $140,460.
- $67K10th
- $92K25th
- $120KMedian
- $140K75th
- $226K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $130,050 | $10,838 | $62.52 |
| Median | $120,490 | $10,041 | $57.93 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $91,990 | $7,666 | $44.23 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $140,460 | $11,705 | $67.53 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Physicists salary after taxes in Sacramento
On the average salary of $130,050, a single filer in Sacramento takes home about $92,153 a year, or $7,679 a month and $3,544 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Sacramento a good place for physicists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Sacramento area are 7% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 106.7), so the average $130,050 buys what about $121,918 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Sacramento ($59,750). A typical home costs $582,707, or 4.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Physicists salary in other California cities
Sacramento ranks 7th of 7 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($189,390).
- San Jose$189,390
- Riverside$172,470
- Oxnard$169,620
- Los Angeles$165,380
- San Diego$159,690
- Bakersfield$137,290
- Sacramento$130,050
Highest-paying cities for physicists
Miami, FL pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($245,010).
- Miami, FL$245,010
- Tampa, FL$244,380
- Pittsburgh, PA$211,220
- Portland, OR$210,060
- Cleveland, OH$209,480
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Physicists salary in Sacramento: questions
How much do physicists make an hour in Sacramento?
$62.53 an hour on average, and $57.93 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level physicists salary in Sacramento?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $66,510 a year and the 25th percentile is $91,990, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the physicists take-home pay in Sacramento?
About $92,153 a year ($7,679 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $130,050. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do physicists earn more in Sacramento than elsewhere?
The average here is 18% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($158,709).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-2012; area Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA (40900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.2%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.73, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.73).
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