SOC 25-1054 · Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
U.S. median annual wage$100,310
U.S. median hourly wageNot published
U.S. employment13,090
Nationally, physics teachers, postsecondary earned a median of $100,310 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 13,090 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $139,420 | Not published | 1,130 | 0.1 |
| Connecticut | $112,410 | Not published | 260 | 0.2 |
| Massachusetts | $111,280 | Not published | 680 | 0.2 |
| Maryland | $110,980 | Not published | 300 | 0.1 |
| Michigan | $109,090 | Not published | 460 | 0.1 |
| New Mexico | $108,850 | Not published | 70 | 0.1 |
| Delaware | $108,810 | Not published | 70 | 0.1 |
| Minnesota | $107,240 | Not published | 250 | 0.1 |
| Idaho | $106,040 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Virginia | $104,490 | Not published | 610 | 0.1 |
| Oregon | $104,320 | Not published | 230 | 0.1 |
| Iowa | $104,270 | Not published | 120 | 0.1 |
| Maine | $104,270 | Not published | 60 | 0.1 |
| New York | $103,100 | Not published | 1,080 | 0.1 |
| Indiana | $102,970 | Not published | 270 | 0.1 |
| North Dakota | $101,700 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| Georgia | $101,580 | Not published | 210 | 0.0 |
| Missouri | $99,970 | Not published | 230 | 0.1 |
| Utah | $99,860 | Not published | 120 | 0.1 |
| Colorado | $99,280 | Not published | 280 | 0.1 |
| New Hampshire | $99,050 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| New Jersey | $98,920 | Not published | 530 | 0.1 |
| Nebraska | $98,460 | Not published | 70 | 0.1 |
| Vermont | $98,390 | Not published | 50 | 0.2 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,370 | Not published | 580 | 0.1 |
| West Virginia | $98,320 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Montana | $98,050 | Not published | 70 | 0.1 |
| Texas | $97,760 | Not published | 1,110 | 0.1 |
| Kansas | $97,140 | Not published | 110 | 0.1 |
| Washington | $96,930 | Not published | 310 | 0.1 |
| Nevada | $96,330 | Not published | 90 | 0.1 |
| Ohio | $96,310 | Not published | 420 | 0.1 |
| Illinois | $94,900 | Not published | 540 | 0.1 |
| Oklahoma | $91,580 | Not published | 90 | 0.1 |
| Louisiana | $90,040 | Not published | 90 | 0.0 |
| Wisconsin | $89,630 | Not published | 210 | 0.1 |
| North Carolina | $87,370 | Not published | 440 | 0.1 |
| South Dakota | $86,010 | Not published | 30 | 0.1 |
| District of Columbia | $85,190 | Not published | 130 | 0.2 |
| Puerto Rico | $83,830 | Not published | 80 | 0.1 |
| Alabama | $82,750 | Not published | 170 | 0.1 |
| South Carolina | $81,210 | Not published | 150 | 0.1 |
| Tennessee | $80,630 | Not published | 340 | 0.1 |
| Kentucky | $80,270 | Not published | 160 | 0.1 |
| Florida | $74,050 | Not published | 180 | 0.0 |
| Mississippi | $71,160 | Not published | 100 | 0.1 |
| Arizona | $65,730 | Not published | 350 | 0.1 |
| Arkansas | $64,900 | Not published | 30 | 0.0 |
Pay by metro area
All 65 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
| Metro area | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $172,510 | Not published | 440 | 0.1 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $167,090 | Not published | 80 | 0.6 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $152,190 | Not published | 120 | 0.1 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $141,400 | Not published | 80 | 0.4 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $139,400 | Not published | 60 | 0.0 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $138,980 | Not published | 50 | 0.2 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $133,360 | Not published | 70 | 0.0 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $132,790 | Not published | 80 | 0.1 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $130,310 | Not published | 160 | 0.1 |
| Lincoln, NE | $128,750 | Not published | 50 | 0.2 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $128,640 | Not published | 510 | 0.2 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $114,880 | Not published | 60 | 0.9 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $114,590 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $111,460 | Not published | 160 | 0.1 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $108,070 | Not published | 60 | 0.0 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $107,410 | Not published | 170 | 0.1 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $107,080 | Not published | 100 | 0.2 |
| Columbia, MO | $106,680 | Not published | 30 | 0.3 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $106,000 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $105,810 | Not published | 80 | 0.4 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $105,560 | Not published | 100 | 0.1 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $104,880 | Not published | 110 | 0.1 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $104,690 | Not published | 870 | 0.1 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $103,780 | Not published | 60 | 0.1 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $103,750 | Not published | 290 | 0.1 |
| Richmond, VA | $103,650 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $103,530 | Not published | 90 | 0.2 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $102,530 | Not published | 100 | 0.1 |
| Worcester, MA | $101,620 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $101,250 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $101,210 | Not published | 30 | 0.5 |
| Columbus, OH | $101,060 | Not published | 80 | 0.1 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $100,770 | Not published | 100 | 0.1 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $100,430 | Not published | 220 | 0.2 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $99,650 | Not published | 170 | 0.0 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $99,480 | Not published | 230 | 0.1 |
| Knoxville, TN | $99,090 | Not published | 80 | 0.2 |
| Rochester, NY | $98,690 | Not published | 120 | 0.3 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $98,470 | Not published | 130 | 0.2 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $98,060 | Not published | 200 | 0.1 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $97,760 | Not published | 50 | 0.2 |
| Syracuse, NY | $95,980 | Not published | 70 | 0.2 |
| El Paso, TX | $95,450 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $95,430 | Not published | 340 | 0.1 |
| Cleveland, OH | $95,410 | Not published | 60 | 0.1 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $95,060 | Not published | 70 | 0.1 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $91,620 | Not published | 150 | 0.1 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $90,180 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $87,460 | Not published | 100 | 0.1 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $85,000 | Not published | 30 | 0.0 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $83,830 | Not published | 330 | 0.1 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | $82,750 | Not published | 50 | 0.7 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $81,760 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $81,210 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $80,990 | Not published | 60 | 0.0 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $80,940 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $80,670 | Not published | 40 | 0.3 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $80,630 | Not published | 30 | 0.1 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $79,760 | Not published | 70 | 0.1 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $78,430 | Not published | 130 | 0.1 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $74,050 | Not published | 50 | 0.0 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $73,940 | Not published | 160 | 0.1 |
| Lubbock, TX | $66,690 | Not published | 30 | 0.2 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | Not published | Not published | 160 | 0.1 |
| New Haven, CT | Not published | Not published | 110 | 0.4 |
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.