How much do Physicists make in Boulder, CO?

Percentile spread

For Physicists, the published 10th percentile is $82,340 and the 90th percentile is $195,190. The difference is $112,850, which is 107.9% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $82,340 to the 75th at $168,240, covers $85,900.

The mean annual wage is $123,130, which sits above the median of $104,580. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Boulder, CO median is 39.3% lower than the national median of $172,250 for Physicists. In 2024 national prices the local median is $99,409, which is 42.3% lower than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is about the same as the Colorado median of $104,580.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Boulder, CO is 105.202, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $104,580 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Physicists at $99,409 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

2 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Physicists. Boulder, CO ranks 3rd of 3 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is 53 miles away, with a median of $166,140 and employment of 120. That median is 58.9% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $157,059, against $99,409 here.
• Colorado Springs, CO is 95 miles away, with a median of $158,070 and employment of 40. That median is 51.1% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $156,960, against $99,409 here.

Employment share

Physicists accounts for 0.45% of wage-and-salary employment in Boulder, CO (860 of 192,390). Nationally the occupation is 0.01% of employment (20,430 of 155,495,730). The local share is 34.02 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.