Physicists pay range in Boulder
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $82,340 a year or less, while the top 10% make $195,190 or more. The middle half of physicists in Boulder earn between $82,340 and $168,240.
- $82K10th
- $82K25th
- $105KMedian
- $168K75th
- $195K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $123,130 | $10,261 | $59.20 |
| Median | $104,580 | $8,715 | $50.28 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $82,340 | $6,862 | $39.59 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $168,240 | $14,020 | $80.88 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Physicists salary after taxes in Boulder
On the average salary of $123,130, a single filer in Boulder takes home about $90,716 a year, or $7,560 a month and $3,489 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Boulder a good place for physicists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boulder area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.2), so the average $123,130 buys what about $117,042 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Boulder ($69,580). A typical home costs $727,954, or 5.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Physicists salary in other Colorado cities
Boulder ranks 3rd of 3 Colorado metro areas for this job; Denver pays the most ($165,840).
- Denver$165,840
- Colorado Springs$159,680
- Boulder$123,130
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 Boulder: questions
How much do physicists make an hour in Boulder?
$59.20 an hour on average, and $50.28 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level physicists salary in Boulder?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $82,340 a year and the 25th percentile is $82,340, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the physicists take-home pay in Boulder?
About $90,716 a year ($7,560 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $123,130. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do physicists earn more in Boulder than elsewhere?
The average here is 22% 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 Boulder, CO (14500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
- 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 (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 33.89, this job is 33.9 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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