The median annual wage for Physicists in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $131,260 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $129,980.
Pay spans roughly $78,410 at the 10th percentile to $207,880 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $63.11 per hour. An estimated 1,580 people work as physicists in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
| Median (annual) | $131,260 |
| Mean (annual) | $129,980 |
| Median (hourly) | $63.11 |
| 10th percentile | $78,410 |
| 90th percentile | $207,880 |
| Employment | 1,580 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.