PublicPay

Physics federal salary series 1310

Full-time federal employees in the Physics series earned a median of $186,963 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 71% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $150,856 and $197,200.

Median pay
$186,963
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$150,856–$197,200
25th–75th percentile
Employees
2,005
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
+2%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Physics
All federal (full-time)

What shapes physics pay

The most common grade with published pay is ZP-5 (135 employees, median $197,200). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Commerce (359 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in Maryland ($187,093) and lowest in Virginia ($168,054), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

OPM withheld pay for 71% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Physics pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Physics pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-13 59 $136,712 $125,100–$144,102
GS-14 48 $172,700 $163,363–$185,193
GS-15 50 $197,200 $185,180–$197,200
RG (ungraded) 47 $181,620 $148,022–$197,152
ZP-3 73 $102,415 $90,036–$122,030
ZP-4 131 $182,021 $162,534–$187,093
ZP-5 135 $197,200 $197,200–$197,200

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Physics pay by agency

Physics pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of Commerce 359 $187,093 $150,054–$197,200
Department of Health and Human Services 106 $197,152 $159,842–$206,649
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 68 $163,104 $130,154–$185,180
Department of Energy 31 $197,200 $186,207–$197,200

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Physics pay by state

The 3 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Physics pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Maryland 340 $187,093 $162,673–$197,200
Colorado 152 $182,316 $151,441–$197,200
Virginia 30 $168,054 $137,726–$188,934

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Compare physics pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved +2.0% from $183,353 in September 2025 to $186,963 in September 2026. Headcount went from 2,190 to 2,005 (−8.4%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

Related occupations in Physical Sciences Group