Physicists Salary in Knoxville, TN

Physicists pay range in Knoxville

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $104,890 a year or less, while the top 10% make $225,520 or more. The middle half of physicists in Knoxville earn between $136,570 and $165,010.

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Physicists salary after taxes in Knoxville

On the average salary of $156,290, a single filer in Knoxville takes home about $118,090 a year, or $9,841 a month and $4,542 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.

Is Knoxville a good place for physicists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Knoxville area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.6), so the average $156,290 buys what about $168,836 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Knoxville ($47,080). A typical home costs $367,158, or 2.3 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $156,290 is worth in another city

Physicists salary in other Tennessee cities

Knoxville ranks 2nd of 3 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Nashville pays the most ($208,700).

All Physicists salaries in Tennessee

Highest-paying cities for physicists

Miami, FL pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($245,010).

Physicists salary by city

Related jobs in Knoxville

• Physical Scientists, All Other$138,010 a year
• Chemists$97,840 a year
• Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$86,380 a year
• Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$83,150 a year
• Biochemists and Biophysicists$165,540 a year
• Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$104,220 a year
• Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$100,750 a year
• Nuclear Technicians$85,800 a year

Average salary in Knoxville and every job