Mississippi · SOC 19-2012

Physicists in Mississippi

State salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)

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Geography used: wage and employment figures are BLS state estimates for Mississippi; the comparison figure is the United States national estimate.

Median Salary

$129,970

per year in this state

25% below

National Median

$172,250

per year nationally

Hourly Rate

$62.49/hr

median hourly

Employment

80

jobs in MS

Salary Range in Mississippi

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$64,980
25th$68,220
Median$129,970
75th$160,320
90th$219,440

What This Means for Physicists in Mississippi

According to BLS OEWS state estimates, Mississippi ranks #35 of 43 states and territories for Physicists pay, the bottom 20% nationally. Physicists working in Mississippi earn a median salary of $129,970, which is 25% below the national median of $172,250. OEWS reports the difference but does not identify its cause. The reported wage distribution runs from $64,980 at the 10th percentile to $219,440 at the 90th. OEWS does not separate how much of that spread comes from experience, specialization, employer, industry, schedule, or local market differences.

This page captures the Physicists labor market inside Mississippi using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state estimates from the May 2025 release. Median annual pay lands at $129,970 ($62.49/hr per hour), while the state employs roughly 80 workers in this SOC code (19-2012). Relative to the national median of $172,250, the state estimate is 25% below. Explaining that difference would require separate evidence on industry, employer, prices, and worker mix.

Within Mississippi, the full pay distribution is wider than the median alone suggests. Workers at the 10th percentile earn $64,980, the 25th earns $68,220, the 75th reaches $160,320, and the 90th hits $219,440. The upper boundary is roughly 3.4× the lower boundary. These bands combine workers across experience levels, credentials, employers, industries, schedules, and specialties; the percentile table does not isolate any one factor's effect.

Use this state-level view as one layer in your research stack, not the full picture. Drill into the specific BLS local wage area within Mississippi where the job is located. A state estimate can differ substantially from a local-area estimate; this table does not establish why. Pair the wage here with state-specific cost of living (rent, taxes, energy, groceries) to see how far the paycheck actually goes. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, and nonproduction bonuses, so compare those items separately when reviewing an offer.

Top Paying Jobs in Mississippi

Similar Occupations in Mississippi

Other roles in the same SOC major group, priced for this state's labor market.

Other states with similar Physicists pay or employment

Two OEWS peer sets for this SOC code outside Mississippi. Same-major-group cards above stay in-state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors.

Similar median pay

Nearest state medians ($129,970 here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS state median annual wage and reported employment for SOC 19-2012. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Related federal data for Mississippi

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Physicists make in Mississippi?
The median annual salary for Physicists in Mississippi is $129,970 (25% below national avg). Pay ranges from $64,980 (10th percentile) to $219,440 (90th percentile).
How many Physicists work in Mississippi?
There are approximately 80 Physicists employed in Mississippi, according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
What is the hourly rate for Physicists in Mississippi?
The median hourly wage for Physicists in Mississippi is $62.49/hr.
Where does WageDex get its salary data?
All salary and employment data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release.

Data Sources

Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release).

Salary and employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release.

Wage estimates include straight-time pay plus items such as tips, commissions, and production bonuses. They exclude employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, and nonproduction bonuses. Employment figures represent the estimated number of workers in the occupation across all industries in Mississippi.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. This occupation's Mississippi figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.