Mid-level Physicist salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 11 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Pasadena, Irvine, Orange, Santa Monica, Duarte.
Also listed as: Medical Physicist, Assistant Physicist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $120,000 |
| 25th | $141,560 |
| 50th (median) | $155,000 |
| 75th | $200,000 |
| 90th | $200,158 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median mid-level Physicist salary of $155,000 is worth about $136,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Physicists in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $160,270 in May 2025 (550 employed). The H-1B median here is $155,000, 3% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Oratomic | too few | 3 |
| California Institute of Technology | too few | 2 |
| Q-Ctrl | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $86,880 | 21 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $155,000 | 11 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $78,042 | $86,880 | 21 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $118,331 | $155,000 | 11 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.