Physical Scientists in Virginia

Want to work in Virginia as a Physical Scientist? Read this first!

You’re in luck! Jobs for Physical Scientists in Virginia are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.

• Projected employment for Physical Scientists in Virginia is growing faster than average.

• Physical Scientists in Virginia earn higher salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

How Many Physical Scientists Work in Virginia?

In 2018, there were 1,600 Physical Scientists working in the state.

There were 1,690 Physical Scientists employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 90 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 290 Physical Scientists working in it, which means Virginia has more Physical Scientists than average.

Job Projections for Virginia

Jobs for Physical Scientists in this state are growing at a rate of 10.4% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of 6.8%.

Virginia Annual Job Openings

The BLS estimates 110 annual job openings, and a total of 1,380 jobs for Virginia Physical Scientists in 2026.

Nationwide, the prediction is 2,000 annual jobs and 25,100 total jobs in 2026.

What do Physical Scientists Make in Virginia?

In 2018 wages for Physical Scientists ranged from $66,190 to $174,520 with $125,470 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $31.82 to $83.9. The median hourly rate was $60.32.

Workers in this field were paid a median of $59.24 an hour in 2017.

The hourly rate grew by $1.08.

The median salary in Virginia is higher than the nationwide median salary.

Top Virginia Metros for Physical Scientists

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Physical Scientists.

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	2,640	$143,780
Richmond, VA	80	$50,890
Charlottesville, VA	70	$101,780

Top States for Physical Scientists Employment

The table below shows the states where most Physical Scientists work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
California	2,170	$113,020
Maryland	1,690	$127,850
Virginia	1,600	$125,470
Texas	1,310	$86,580
New York	900	$97,370
District of Columbia	700	$138,410
New Mexico	620	$127,430
Colorado	560	$113,870
Illinois	550	$105,390
Ohio	550	$104,210
North Carolina	510	$94,930
Florida	510	$80,450
New Jersey	510	$93,660
Massachusetts	350	$113,360
Georgia	320	$109,960
Mississippi	320	$88,070
Pennsylvania	310	$113,080
Michigan	300	$98,050
Washington	300	$107,230
Idaho	290	$54,840

Below are the states where Physical Scientists get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
District of Columbia	$138,410
Maryland	$127,850
New Mexico	$127,430
Virginia	$125,470
South Carolina	$120,310
Connecticut	$119,580
Rhode Island	$117,400
Colorado	$113,870
Massachusetts	$113,360
Alabama	$113,220

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• Image Credit: By Agsftw under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.