SOC 19-2012 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Physicists — Memphis
Memphis, TN-MS-AR · 2 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Memphis, TN is $139,810 a year, trailing the national median of $172,250 by 18.8%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +4.0%
- Openings per year
- 1,700
- Typical entry-level education
- Doctoral or professional degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
8.7% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Memphis, TN is $139,810 a year, trailing the national median of $172,250 by 18.8%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $93,980 and $197,610. The lowest tenth earn under $65,480, while the highest tenth earn more than $258,640.
Within the state, Nashville records the highest median at $236,920. Of the 564 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 16th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $65,480 | −62.0% |
| 25th | $93,980 | −45.4% |
| Median (50th) | $139,810 | −18.8% |
| 75th | $197,610 | +14.7% |
| 90th | $258,640 | +50.2% |
| Mean | $145,230 | −15.7% |
Other metro areas in Tennessee
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Memphis run 7.8% below the national average, so the median of $139,810 goes as far as $151,638 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 12.0% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$139,810as reported by BLSLocal price level
92.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$151,638US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $139,810 a year, 18.8% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $65,480 to $258,640 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Nashville, at $236,920.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Physicists in Memphis, TN?
The median annual wage is $139,810, or $67.22 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $172,250, so pay in Memphis, TN is 18.8% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Memphis, TN earns more than $258,640 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $65,480 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Nashville, at $236,920 per year.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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