State comparison · 2025
Physicists salary: California vs Pennsylvania
Physicists in Pennsylvania earn a median of $210,990. In California, $207,490. After cost-of-living, the gap is 13.3% — not 1.7%.
Nominal pay gap
-1.7%
California vs Pennsylvania
COL-adjusted gap
-13.3%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
California
Physicists
- Median
- $207,490
- p25
- $173,450
- p75
- $222,760
- p10
- $125,390
- p90
- $296,740
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 110.7
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- -50%
Pennsylvania
Physicists
- Median
- $210,990
- p25
- $150,950
- p75
- $231,190
- p10
- $88,300
- p90
- $261,820
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 97.6
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- +73%
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.