Entry-level Physicist salary in New York, NY
Based on 108 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Upton, Newark, Stony Brook, Elizabeth, Piscataway.
Also listed as: Medical Physicist, Assistant Physicist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $68,058 |
| 25th | $77,606 |
| 50th (median) | $83,170 |
| 75th | $88,479 |
| 90th | $96,635 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $65,721 | $64,800 | $87,000 | 21 |
| FY2021 | $66,950 | $60,059 | $87,000 | 23 |
| FY2022 | $73,100 | $65,000 | $87,000 | 33 |
| FY2023 | $75,000 | $65,000 | $95,000 | 33 |
| FY2024 | $77,584 | $68,058 | $80,587 | 39 |
| FY2025 | $82,393 | $68,058 | $91,000 | 42 |
| FY2026 | $83,170 | $79,911 | $86,266 | 66 |
Cost of living
New York's median entry-level Physicist salary of $83,170 is worth about $73,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; New York = 112.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Physicists in the New York, NY area earned a median of $181,970 in May 2025 (1,070 employed). The H-1B median here is $83,170, 54% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Brookhaven National Laboratory | $83,593 | 55 |
| The Simons Foundation | $91,000 | 10 |
| Research Foundation Of Cuny | too few | 9 |
| New York University | too few | 8 |
| Research Foundation for the State University of New York | too few | 7 |
| Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | too few | 3 |
| precess medical derivatives | too few | 3 |
| Columbia University | too few | 2 |
| precess medical drivativess | 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 | $83,170 | 108 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $129,375 | 49 |
| Senior · Level III | $139,527 | 82 |
| Expert · Level IV | $196,116 | 19 |
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 | $71,261 | $83,170 | 108 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $97,074 | $129,375 | 49 |
| Senior · Level III | $122,907 | $139,527 | 82 |
| Expert · Level IV | $148,720 | $196,116 | 19 |
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.
