Physicists pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $81,830 a year or less, while the top 10% make $221,380 or more. The middle half of physicists in Chicago earn between $82,110 and $175,510.
- $82K10th
- $82K25th
- $137KMedian
- $176K75th
- $221K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $138,950 | $11,579 | $66.80 |
| Median | $137,140 | $11,428 | $65.93 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $82,110 | $6,842 | $39.48 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $175,510 | $14,626 | $84.38 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Physicists salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $138,950, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $99,501 a year, or $8,292 a month and $3,827 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $102,100 | $8,508 |
| Working in IL | $99,501 | $8,292 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for physicists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $138,950 buys what about $134,128 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 2.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Physicists salary in nearby metro areas
- Milwaukee, WI$190,130
- Madison, WI$137,180
- Indianapolis, IN$141,380
- Lansing, MI$92,920
- Ann Arbor, MI$100,460
- Dayton, OH$150,240
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 Chicago: questions
How much do physicists make an hour in Chicago?
$66.80 an hour on average, and $65.93 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level physicists salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $81,830 a year and the 25th percentile is $82,110, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the physicists take-home pay in Chicago?
About $99,501 a year ($8,292 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $138,950.
Do physicists earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.8%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.54, this job is 2.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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