Salary distribution
Where New York physicists fall on the wage curve.
Distribution not available
The Bureau of Labor Statistics suppresses wage percentiles for this occupation and state when the surveyed cell has too few employers to publish without revealing individual firm pay. National figures and adjacent states below remain a useful reference.
Physicists in New York: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 183 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $114,982. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 55 | $80,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 14 | $134,688 |
| Level III — experienced | 17 | $141,110 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 10 | $210,322 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Physicists in New York. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brookhaven National Laboratory | Research Staff 3 Physics | 97 | $125,840 |
| The Simons Foundation Inc. | Flatiron Research Fellow | 20 | $93,125 |
| Columbia University | Associate Research Scientist | 9 | $79,310 |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | Assistant Attending | 9 | $210,000 |
| New York University | Postdoctoral Associate | 7 | $68,058 |
| University of Rochester | Assistant Scientist | 6 | $89,000 |
| Research Foundation for the State University of New York | Postdoctoral Associate | 5 | $68,058 |
| Cornell University | Postdoctoral Associate | 5 | $66,930 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Post Doctoral Researcher | 3 | $64,085 |
| Research Foundation of CUNY | AI Research Associate | 3 | $83,200 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Associate Research Scientist at The Simons Foundation Inc.$162,510New YorkDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503512
- Associate Research Scientist at Columbia University$82,000New YorkDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503004
- Research Staff 3 Physics at Brookhaven National Laboratory$124,280UptonDecided Dec 19, 2025I-200-25346-478419
- Post Doctoral Researcher at Rochester Institute of Technology$66,664RochesterDecided Nov 24, 2025I-200-25321-412383
- Research Scientist at The Simons Foundation Inc.$205,000New YorkDecided Nov 21, 2025I-200-25318-408876
- Resident at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center$75,000New YorkDecided Nov 18, 2025I-200-25315-397818
- Research Associate Physics at Brookhaven National Laboratory$83,593UptonDecided Nov 18, 2025I-200-25314-394020
- Research Associate Physics at Brookhaven National Laboratory$83,574UptonDecided Nov 18, 2025I-200-25314-394061
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Physicists pay by experience level in New York
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Physicists specialties in New York
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 160 certified offers. The most common variant is Research Staff 3 Physics at a median of $127,774.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Staff 3 Physics | Brookhaven National Laboratory | 72 | $127,774 |
| Associate Research Scientist | The Simons Foundation Inc. | 20 | $107,383 |
| Research Staff | Brookhaven National Laboratory | 18 | $122,975 |
| Postdoctoral Associate | New York University | 16 | $68,058 |
| Flatiron Research Fellow | The Simons Foundation Inc. | 11 | $91,000 |
| Physics Associate | Brookhaven National Laboratory | 5 | $77,606 |
| Assistant Scientist | University of Rochester | 5 | $100,000 |
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Columbia University | 4 | $74,632 |
| Resident, Clinical Medical Physics | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | 3 | $76,000 |
| Raymond Davis Jr. Fellow | Brookhaven National Laboratory | 3 | $125,000 |
| Assistant Attending | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | 3 | $190,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Physicists in New York, by industry
Median offered wage across 183 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $124,634.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Brookhaven National Laboratory | 126 | $124,634 |
| Education | Columbia University | 42 | $74,639 |
| Healthcare | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | 12 | $205,000 |
| Nonprofit and civic | The Simons Foundation Inc. | 1 | $162,510 |
| Technology and software | Schrodinger, Inc. | 1 | $130,000 |
| Manufacturing | INFICON, INC. | 1 | $103,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in New York over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.9 / 5
Physics
Knowledge
- 4.8 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.8 / 5
Mathematical Reasoning
Ability
- 4.6 / 5
Science
Basic skill
- 4.5 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 4.4 / 5
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Mathematics
Basic skill
- 4.3 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Perform complex calculations as part of the analysis and evaluation of data, using computers.
- 02
Analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena.
- 03
Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms.
- 04
Design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood.
- 05
Write research proposals to receive funding.
- 06
Teach physics to students.
- 07
Report experimental results by writing papers for scientific journals or by presenting information at scientific conferences.
- 08
Conduct research pertaining to potential environmental impacts of atomic energy-related industrial development to determine licensing qualifications.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+4.1%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in New York
Metro-level salary data for physicists in major New York metropolitan areas.
- New York City$177,490
- Buffalo$175,220
Compare Physicists pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Physicists in New York?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Physicists in New York is $174,160.
- How does New York compare to the national median for Physicists?
- The New York median is +7.6% versus the BLS national figure of $161,819.
- Is Physicists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 4.1% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Physicists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Doctoral or professional degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.