Physicists pay range in Denver
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $107,610 a year or less, while the top 10% make $230,950 or more. The middle half of physicists in Denver earn between $130,640 and $206,340.
- $108K10th
- $131K25th
- $166KMedian
- $206K75th
- $231K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $165,840 | $13,820 | $79.73 |
| Median | $166,140 | $13,845 | $79.88 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $130,640 | $10,887 | $62.81 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $206,340 | $17,195 | $99.20 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Physicists salary after taxes in Denver
On the average salary of $165,840, a single filer in Denver takes home about $118,029 a year, or $9,836 a month and $4,540 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 (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 Denver a good place for physicists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Denver area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.8), so the average $165,840 buys what about $156,775 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Denver ($62,320). A typical home costs $573,221, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Physicists salary in other Colorado cities
Denver ranks 1st of 3 Colorado metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- 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 Denver: questions
How much do physicists make an hour in Denver?
$79.73 an hour on average, and $79.88 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level physicists salary in Denver?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $107,610 a year and the 25th percentile is $130,640, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the physicists take-home pay in Denver?
About $118,029 a year ($9,836 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $165,840. 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 Denver than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% more 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (19740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.4%.
- 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 0.57, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.57).
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