SOC 19-2012 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Physicists — Tampa
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL · 2 metro areas compared
The median wage for Physicists in Tampa, FL is $266,260 per year, well above the national median of $172,250.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
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
The median wage for Physicists in Tampa, FL is $266,260 per year, well above the national median of $172,250. The gap of 54.6% is among the widest recorded for this occupation. Pay ranges from under $126,170 at the tenth percentile to more than $308,580 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $222,230 to $300,030.
The area has 70 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.0 of every thousand jobs. Miami leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $272,480. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 8th of 629 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $126,170 | −26.8% |
| 25th | $222,230 | +29.0% |
| Median (50th) | $266,260 | +54.6% |
| 75th | $300,030 | +74.2% |
| 90th | $308,580 | +79.1% |
| Mean | $244,380 | +41.9% |
Other metro areas in Florida
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Tampa sit close to the national average, so $266,260 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$266,260as reported by BLSLocal price level
100.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$263,885US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $266,260 a year, 54.6% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $126,170 to $308,580 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 70 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Miami, at $272,480.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Physicists in Tampa, FL?
The median annual wage is $266,260, or $128.01 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 Tampa, FL is 54.6% higher. 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 Tampa, FL earns more than $308,580 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $126,170 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 Miami, at $272,480 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 70 jobs in this occupation in Tampa, FL. Self-employed workers are not included.
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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