Average Physical Scientist Salary in Mississippi, United States for 2026
In this article, we will look at the average Physical Scientist salary for 2026 in Mississippi and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!
The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.
All salary information is in the local currency, which is the United States dollar. To keep things simple, we are using the USD currency code instead of the currency symbol $.
How Much Does a Physical Scientist Make in Mississippi?
A Physical Scientist working in Mississippi will typically earn around 164,100 USD per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 76,000 USD to the highest average salary of 257,500 USD.
These are average salaries for a Physical Scientist in Mississippi and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Physical Scientist to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.
Physical Scientist salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.
Distribution of Physical Scientist Salaries in Mississippi
So we've looked at the average salaries a Physical Scientist will earn in Mississippi. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.
Salary ranges
We already know that a Physical Scientist can earn between 76,000 USD and 257,500 USD on average in Mississippi. This is known as the range in statistics.
The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.
Median salary
The median salary for a Physical Scientist in Mississippi is 175,200 USD. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.
What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 175,200 USD, and 50% of the population earn more than 175,200 USD.
If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.
If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).
Percentiles
Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.
For the average Physical Scientist salary in Mississippi, 25% of the population are earning less than 114,600 USD while 75% of the population earn more than 114,600 USD.
75% of the population earn less than 233,800 USD, and 25% of the population earn more than 233,800 USD.
Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.
The difference between a median and an average salary
The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.
- If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
- If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
- If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.
Physical Scientist Salary by Experience Level in Mississippi
The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.
We have researched the average Physical Scientist salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.
- 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Physical Scientist in Mississippi that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 85,400 USD.
- 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Physical Scientist salary would increase to 114,600 USD.
- 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Physical Scientist, the average salary would be 167,100 USD.
- 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 205,700 USD.
- 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Physical Scientist with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 222,700 USD.
- 20+ Years Experience. For a Physical Scientist with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 241,200 USD.
Average Salary by Experience Chart
| 0-2 Years | - | 85,400 USD |
| 2-5 Years | +34% | 114,600 USD |
| 5-10 Years | +48% | 167,100 USD |
| 10-15 Years | +22% | 205,700 USD |
| 15-20 Years | +9% | 222,700 USD |
| 20+ Years | +8% | 241,200 USD |
Physical Scientist Salary by Education Level in Mississippi
As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?
In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.
The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.
In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Physical Scientist in Mississippi based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.
- Bachelor's Degree. A Physical Scientist in Mississippi with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 96,400 USD.
- Master's Degree. A Physical Scientist in Mississippi with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 153,800 USD.
- PhD. A Physical Scientist in Mississippi with a phd education can earn an average salary of 254,400 USD.
Average Salary by Education Chart
| Bachelor's Degree | - | 96,400 USD |
| Master's Degree | +57% | 153,800 USD |
| PhD | +68% | 254,400 USD |
How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?
The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United States is around 39,500 to 118,000 USD and takes two years to complete.
As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.
It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.
Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.
Physical Scientist Salary Compared by Gender
In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.
In Mississippi, a male physical scientist will earn an average of 165,900 USD, while a female physical scientist will earn around 157,600 USD.
This means that a male physical scientist earns approximately 5% more than a female physical scientist for performing the same job.
Average Salary by Gender Chart in Mississippi
| Male | - | 165,900 USD |
| Female | -5% | 157,600 USD |
Physical Scientist Average Pay Raise in Mississippi
In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.
From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Physical Scientist in Mississippi is around 12% every 17 months.
The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United States is around 8% every 16 months.
In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.
To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:
Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12
So for this example, it would be:
Annual Increase = ( 12 ÷ 17 ) × 12 = 8%
What this means is that a Physical Scientist in Mississippi can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 8% every 12 months.
Annual Pay Raise by Industry in Mississippi for 2026
In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United States.
You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.
| Banking | - | 4% |
| Energy | - | 8% |
| Information Technology | - | 3% |
| Healthcare | - | 7% |
| Travel | - | 2% |
| Construction | - | 6% |
| Education | - | 1% |
Physical Scientist Bonus and Incentive Rates in Mississippi
Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.
Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.
A Physical Scientist is a moderate bonus based job, with 62% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.
38% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.
For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7%.
| Received Bonus | - | 62% |
| No Bonus | - | 38% |
What are the Types of Bonus?
There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:
- Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
- Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
- Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
- Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.
Government vs Private Sector Salaries
Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.
Public sector employees in United States earn approximately 6% more than private sector employees in the same role.
| Public Sector | - | 98,800 USD |
| Private Sector | -6% | 93,100 USD |
Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Physical Scientist
In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Physical Scientist in Mississippi.
| Job Title | Category | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 3D Lab Technologist | Science and Technical Services | 93,100 USD |
| Algorithm Developer | Science and Technical Services | 125,400 USD |
| Analytical Chemist | Science and Technical Services | 172,100 USD |
| Anthropologist | Science and Technical Services | 139,100 USD |
| Archeologist | Science and Technical Services | 125,400 USD |
| Assistant Breeder | Science and Technical Services | 62,100 USD |
| Astronomer | Science and Technical Services | 218,700 USD |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 172,100 USD |
| Behavior Analyst | Science and Technical Services | 118,900 USD |
| Behavior Intervention Specialist | Science and Technical Services | 134,700 USD |
| Behavior Specialist | Science and Technical Services | 115,600 USD |
| Biochemist | Science and Technical Services | 187,500 USD |
| Biofuels Processing Technician | Science and Technical Services | 78,200 USD |
| Biofuels Production Manager | Science and Technical Services | 142,100 USD |
| Biologist | Science and Technical Services | 197,600 USD |
| Biomedical Laboratory Officer | Science and Technical Services | 80,700 USD |
| Biomedical Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 205,400 USD |
| Biophysicist | Science and Technical Services | 210,600 USD |
| Chemical Engineer | Science and Technical Services | 97,600 USD |
| Chemical Technologist | Science and Technical Services | 85,500 USD |
| Chemist | Science and Technical Services | 192,600 USD |
| Chief Technologist | Science and Technical Services | 163,800 USD |
| Climate Change Analyst | Science and Technical Services | 130,400 USD |
| Clinical Laboratory Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 213,800 USD |
| Computer Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 156,200 USD |
| Conservation Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 169,700 USD |
| DNA Analyst | Science and Technical Services | 210,600 USD |
| Data Science Specialist | Science and Technical Services | 127,600 USD |
| Data Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 153,700 USD |
| Ecologist | Science and Technical Services | 151,800 USD |
| Economic Development Specialist | Science and Technical Services | 157,600 USD |
| Flavourist | Science and Technical Services | 63,500 USD |
| Food Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 130,500 USD |
| Forensic Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 157,600 USD |
| Formulation Technologist | Science and Technical Services | 79,000 USD |
| Fraud Investigator | Science and Technical Services | 93,100 USD |
| Genomics Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 199,700 USD |
| Geographer | Science and Technical Services | 111,700 USD |
| Geographic Information Systems Technician | Science and Technical Services | 66,700 USD |
| Geological Data Technician | Science and Technical Services | 68,800 USD |
| Geological Technician | Science and Technical Services | 87,400 USD |
| Geologist | Science and Technical Services | 172,200 USD |
| Geomatics Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 166,600 USD |
| Geophysical Data Technician | Science and Technical Services | 64,300 USD |
| Geospatial Information Scientist and Technologist | Science and Technical Services | 153,700 USD |
| Global Technical Lead | Science and Technical Services | 206,100 USD |
| Hydrologist | Science and Technical Services | 132,000 USD |
| Industrial Ecologist | Science and Technical Services | 142,300 USD |
| Intelligence Analyst | Science and Technical Services | 114,900 USD |
| Knowledge Management Specialist | Science and Technical Services | 100,700 USD |
| Lab Analyst | Science and Technical Services | 85,100 USD |
| Lab Manager | Science and Technical Services | 140,200 USD |
| Lab Technician | Science and Technical Services | 59,800 USD |
| Laboratory Manager | Science and Technical Services | 139,100 USD |
| Laboratory Researcher | Science and Technical Services | 91,900 USD |
| Laboratory Technician | Science and Technical Services | 58,700 USD |
| Life Sciences Analyst | Science and Technical Services | 134,100 USD |
| Life Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 156,200 USD |
| Marine Architect | Science and Technical Services | 128,200 USD |
| Marine Biologist | Science and Technical Services | 150,100 USD |
| Marine Superintendent | Science and Technical Services | 79,500 USD |
| Materials Analyst | Science and Technical Services | 83,000 USD |
| Materials Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 152,700 USD |
| Mathematician | Science and Technical Services | 153,800 USD |
| Medical Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 206,700 USD |
| Metallurgist | Science and Technical Services | 147,900 USD |
| Meteorologist | Science and Technical Services | 151,800 USD |
| Microbiologist | Science and Technical Services | 206,100 USD |
| Natural Language Processing Researcher | Science and Technical Services | 132,000 USD |
| Natural Resource Specialist | Science and Technical Services | 114,600 USD |
| Natural Resources Analyst | Science and Technical Services | 123,800 USD |
| Natural Sciences Manager | Science and Technical Services | 200,600 USD |
| Nuclear Engineer | Science and Technical Services | 215,100 USD |
| Physicist | Science and Technical Services | 205,700 USD |
| Political Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 153,800 USD |
| Polygraph Examiner | Science and Technical Services | 54,100 USD |
| Polysomnographic Technologist | Science and Technical Services | 97,400 USD |
| Product Development Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 158,900 USD |
| Quantitative Research Analyst | Science and Technical Services | 134,700 USD |
| Quantitative Researcher | Science and Technical Services | 140,700 USD |
| Radiation Protection Specialist | Science and Technical Services | 105,800 USD |
| Refrigeration Technician | Science and Technical Services | 45,400 USD |
| Research Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 151,800 USD |
| Risk Safety Engineer | Science and Technical Services | 94,100 USD |
| Scientific Photographer | Science and Technical Services | 87,200 USD |
| Scientific Programmer | Science and Technical Services | 123,800 USD |
| Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 148,300 USD |
| Service Engineer | Science and Technical Services | 90,600 USD |
| Service Technician | Science and Technical Services | 61,400 USD |
| Social Science Research Assistant | Science and Technical Services | 79,800 USD |
| Social Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 153,700 USD |
| Sociologist | Science and Technical Services | 152,700 USD |
| Soil Scientist | Science and Technical Services | 119,700 USD |
| Statistical Analyst | Science and Technical Services | 86,800 USD |
| Statistical Assistant | Science and Technical Services | 64,400 USD |
| Statistician | Science and Technical Services | 134,100 USD |
| Survey Analyst | Science and Technical Services | 87,300 USD |
| Survey Researcher | Science and Technical Services | 80,500 USD |
| Surveying and Mapping Technician | Science and Technical Services | 57,100 USD |
| Team Leader | Science and Technical Services | 123,800 USD |
| Technical Manager | Science and Technical Services | 134,700 USD |
| Technical Officer | Science and Technical Services | 61,700 USD |
| Technical Service Director | Science and Technical Services | 175,100 USD |
| Technical Services Regulatory Affairs Specialist | Science and Technical Services | 93,100 USD |
| Technical Services Research Associate | Science and Technical Services | 102,700 USD |
| Technical Services Research Coordinator | Science and Technical Services | 103,600 USD |
| Technical Services Research and Development Manager | Science and Technical Services | 206,700 USD |
| Technician | Science and Technical Services | 58,000 USD |
| Water Ecologist | Science and Technical Services | 166,600 USD |
| Wildlife Biologist | Science and Technical Services | 141,000 USD |
Salary Comparison by City
If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United States, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Atlanta | 160,600 USD |
| Austin | 182,400 USD |
| Baltimore | 156,200 USD |
| Boston | 161,300 USD |
| Bristol | 128,400 USD |
| Chicago | 183,600 USD |
| Cincinnati | 146,700 USD |
| Cleveland | 151,800 USD |
| Dallas | 187,500 USD |
| Denver | 175,100 USD |
| Detroit | 161,300 USD |
| Honolulu | 134,100 USD |
| Houston | 197,600 USD |
| Indianapolis | 168,700 USD |
| Iowa City | 138,700 USD |
| Jacksonville | 184,700 USD |
| Kansas City | 150,100 USD |
| Kent | 141,000 USD |
| Las Vegas | 165,900 USD |
| Long Beach | 151,800 USD |
| Los Angeles | 199,700 USD |
| Memphis | 167,100 USD |
| Miami | 153,700 USD |
| Minneapolis | 147,900 USD |
| New Orleans | 146,700 USD |
| New York | 193,400 USD |
| Oakland | 147,900 USD |
| Oklahoma City | 156,200 USD |
| Orlando | 138,700 USD |
| Philadelphia | 183,600 USD |
| Phoenix | 189,800 USD |
| Sacramento | 157,600 USD |
| San Antonio | 190,400 USD |
| San Diego | 187,500 USD |
| San Francisco | 175,100 USD |
| San Jose | 183,600 USD |
| Seattle | 176,300 USD |
| Tampa | 146,700 USD |
| Vancouver | 134,700 USD |
| Washington D.C. | 175,200 USD |
Salary Comparison by State
The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United States.
| State | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 176,300 USD |
| Alaska | 153,800 USD |
| Arizona | 177,200 USD |
| Arkansas | 163,500 USD |
| California | 187,500 USD |
| Colorado | 165,900 USD |
| Connecticut | 160,700 USD |
| Delaware | 148,300 USD |
| District of Columbia | 142,300 USD |
| Florida | 175,200 USD |
| Georgia | 171,300 USD |
| Hawaii | 160,700 USD |
| Idaho | 158,700 USD |
| Illinois | 187,500 USD |
| Indiana | 175,200 USD |
| Iowa | 160,600 USD |
| Kansas | 160,700 USD |
| Kentucky | 164,100 USD |
| Louisiana | 161,300 USD |
| Maine | 146,900 USD |
| Maryland | 163,800 USD |
| Massachusetts | 163,500 USD |
| Michigan | 187,500 USD |
| Minnesota | 172,200 USD |
| Missouri | 172,100 USD |
| Montana | 153,800 USD |
| Nebraska | 153,700 USD |
| Nevada | 156,200 USD |
| New Hampshire | 150,100 USD |
| New Jersey | 172,300 USD |
| New Mexico | 151,800 USD |
| New York | 176,300 USD |
| North Carolina | 167,100 USD |
| North Dakota | 151,800 USD |
| Ohio | 184,700 USD |
| Oklahoma | 165,900 USD |
| Oregon | 163,800 USD |
| Pennsylvania | 183,900 USD |
| Rhode Island | 148,300 USD |
| South Carolina | 163,500 USD |
| South Dakota | 146,700 USD |
| Tennessee | 166,600 USD |
| Texas | 175,100 USD |
| Utah | 150,100 USD |
| Vermont | 151,800 USD |
| Virginia | 183,900 USD |
| Washington | 177,100 USD |
| West Virginia | 156,200 USD |
| Wisconsin | 169,700 USD |
| Wyoming | 142,300 USD |
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