Physicists pay range in Seattle
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,520 a year or less, while the top 10% make $218,400 or more. The middle half of physicists in Seattle earn between $101,900 and $173,840.
- $76K10th
- $102K25th
- $140KMedian
- $174K75th
- $218K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $145,550 | $12,129 | $69.98 |
| Median | $140,370 | $11,698 | $67.49 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $101,900 | $8,492 | $48.99 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $173,840 | $14,487 | $83.58 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Physicists salary after taxes in Seattle
On the average salary of $145,550, a single filer in Seattle takes home about $110,749 a year, or $9,229 a month and $4,260 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. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
Is Seattle a good place for physicists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Seattle area are 11% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.1), so the average $145,550 buys what about $130,969 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Seattle ($72,610). A typical home costs $750,279, or 5.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Physicists salary in nearby metro areas
- Portland, OR$210,060
- Idaho Falls, ID$145,800
- Sacramento, CA$130,050
- San Jose, CA$189,390
- Bakersfield, CA$137,290
- Oxnard, CA$169,620
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 Seattle: questions
How much do physicists make an hour in Seattle?
$69.98 an hour on average, and $67.48 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level physicists salary in Seattle?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,520 a year and the 25th percentile is $101,900, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the physicists take-home pay in Seattle?
About $110,749 a year ($9,229 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $145,550. Washington has no state income tax; Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
Do physicists earn more in Seattle than elsewhere?
The average here is 8% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (42660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.3%.
- 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 no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.53, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.53).
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