College Physics Instructors

Median Salary: $75,100

Many college physics instructors across the United States share a few key professional characteristics. For example, independence, attention to detail, and achievement/effort can be crucial for success in the industry, especially when coupled with career training. Around 12,870 individuals were employed as college physics instructors nationwide in 2009. With that much workplace competition, it's vital to utilize these attributes and receive proper training, particularly if you're looking to progress in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for college physics instructors in the U.S. was $75,100 in 2009, which works out to a median hourly wage of $36.10. Of course, income can vary with training and by place. Below, you'll find more data about college physics instructors, including wages and job density for areas all over the United States.

College physics instructors should be skilled in:

  • Oral Expression
  • Written Comprehension
  • Near Vision
  • Problem Sensitivity
  • Originality

Different individuals go into different careers; college physics instructors are typically:

  • Social
  • Investigative
  • Artistic

Working as a college physics instructor requires knowledge in subjects like:

  • Physics
  • Mathematics
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Design

Related Occupations

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Below, you'll see links to more information on the top cities for this occupation (based on the number of individuals employed as college physics instructors). Note: "Job density" refers to the proportion of college physics instructors in each city as compared to the national average.

Alabama
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Huntsville 30 $71,800 $34.50 $86,200 $41.50 65.7%
Arizona
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Phoenix NA $47,300 $22.80 $69,500 $33.40 NA
California
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Los Angeles (Area) NA $85,200 $41.00 $108,900 $52.30 NA
Oakland 100 $89,300 $43.00 $115,900 $55.70 5.1%
Riverside 60 $86,600 $41.60 $113,700 $54.70 -48.5%
Sacramento 100 $101,800 $49.00 $123,800 $59.50 21.2%
San Diego 220 NA NA NA NA 74.7%
San Francisco (Area) NA $94,300 $45.30 $122,800 $59.00 NA
San Francisco (City) NA $99,200 $47.70 $129,700 $62.40 NA
San Jose 40 NA NA NA NA -53.5%
Colorado
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Denver 70 $88,400 $42.50 $153,000 $73.50 -41.4%
Connecticut
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
New Haven 50 $67,700 $32.50 $98,800 $47.50 97%
District of Columbia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Washington (Area) 300 $76,300 $36.70 $102,400 $49.20 -5.1%
Florida
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Jacksonville 30 $54,800 $26.40 $69,700 $33.50 -41.4%
Miami (Area) 110 $74,000 $35.60 $87,900 $42.30 -26.3%
Orlando 70 $64,000 $30.80 $77,700 $37.40 -24.2%
Georgia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Atlanta 180 $71,600 $34.40 $91,300 $43.90 -20.2%
Illinois
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chicago (Area) 170 $59,300 $28.50 $71,100 $34.20 -4%
Indiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Indianapolis 30 $60,400 $29.10 $72,200 $34.70 -62.6%
South Bend NA $81,700 $39.30 $118,300 $56.90 NA
Kentucky
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lexington 50 $72,500 $34.90 $87,800 $42.20 96%
Louisiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baton Rouge 40 $85,700 $41.20 $105,100 $50.50 24.2%
Maryland
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baltimore 140 $89,800 $43.20 $128,800 $61.90 16.2%
Massachusetts
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boston (Area) 350 $99,300 $47.80 $133,000 $63.90 112.1%
Springfield 40 NA NA NA NA 31.3%
Minnesota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Minneapolis 130 $67,100 $32.30 $90,200 $43.40 -26.3%
Mississippi
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Jackson 30 $54,600 $26.20 $66,600 $32.00 27.3%
Missouri
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Kansas City 50 $62,000 $29.80 $80,000 $38.40 -49.5%
Springfield 40 NA NA NA NA 125.3%
St. Louis 170 $60,700 $29.20 $78,300 $37.60 31.3%
Nebraska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Omaha 30 $66,200 $31.80 $82,100 $39.50 -29.3%
New York
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Buffalo NA $87,300 $42.00 $101,000 $48.60 NA
New York (Area) NA $88,600 $42.60 $111,900 $53.80 NA
Rochester 150 $146,200 $70.30 $166,400+ $0.00 200%
North Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charlotte 60 $80,700 $38.80 $102,600 $49.30 -27.3%
Raleigh 100 $108,900 $52.30 $134,000 $64.40 104%
Ohio
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Canton 30 $73,200 $35.20 $84,100 $40.40 90.9%
Cincinnati 80 NA NA NA NA -21.2%
Cleveland 110 $73,700 $35.50 $99,000 $47.60 6.1%
Columbus 120 $90,600 $43.50 $110,700 $53.20 33.3%
Dayton 70 $66,500 $32.00 $84,900 $40.80 78.8%
Oklahoma
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Oklahoma City 50 $54,400 $26.10 $77,600 $37.30 -14.1%
Oregon
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Portland 60 $79,300 $38.10 $122,700 $59.00 -41.4%
Pennsylvania
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Allentown 60 $91,600 $44.00 $115,700 $55.60 76.8%
Harrisburg 60 $71,200 $34.20 $88,500 $42.60 83.8%
Philadelphia (Area) 240 $85,700 $41.20 $117,500 $56.50 30.3%
Pittsburgh 150 $81,800 $39.40 $107,100 $51.50 31.3%
Scranton 40 $79,100 $38.00 $91,500 $44.00 41.4%
Rhode Island
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Providence 80 $93,700 $45.10 $120,600 $58.00 42.4%
South Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Greenville 60 $78,600 $37.80 $100,500 $48.30 89.9%
Tennessee
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chattanooga 30 $57,500 $27.70 $71,100 $34.20 57.6%
Knoxville 70 NA NA NA NA 119.2%
Memphis 50 $71,900 $34.60 $80,700 $38.80 -19.2%
Nashville 80 $73,300 $35.20 $102,600 $49.30 17.2%
Texas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Austin 180 NA NA NA NA 136.4%
Dallas (Area) 70 $68,000 $32.70 $87,800 $42.20 -65.7%
El Paso 40 $57,900 $27.90 $66,600 $32.00 48.5%
Houston 150 $84,300 $40.50 $99,800 $48.00 -40.4%
San Antonio 70 $58,400 $28.10 $78,100 $37.50 -10.1%
Utah
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Provo 60 $77,500 $37.20 $86,700 $41.70 263.6%
Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Richmond 60 NA NA NA NA -1%
Virginia Beach 70 $62,500 $30.10 $92,700 $44.60 -1%
Washington
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Seattle (Area) 170 $75,200 $36.10 $104,200 $50.10 23.2%
Spokane 30 $52,400 $25.20 $67,700 $32.50 52.5%
Wisconsin
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Milwaukee 70 $73,500 $35.30 $93,400 $44.90 -17.2%