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What does a Physicists salary really buy you in Louisiana?
Louisiana is 9.4% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Louisiana's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 90.6, meaning prices are 9.4% lower the national average. A Physicists earning $166,240 in Louisiana has the equivalent purchasing power of $183,487 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Louisiana's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $85,360 | $94,216 | +$8,856 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $101,870 | $112,439 | +$10,569 |
| Median (P50) | $166,240 | $183,487 | +$17,247 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $189,710 | $209,392 | +$19,682 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $214,090 | $236,302 | +$22,212 |
A Physicists in Louisiana earns $166,240 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 10% further — like earning $183,487 in an average-cost state. This makes Louisiana one of the best value states for this occupation.
Louisiana's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 90.6 means a basket of goods and services costs about 9.4% less than the national average. For a Physicists, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $166,240 for Louisiana's cost of living yields $183,488 — a 10.4% gain in real purchasing power. This magnitude usually reflects either a materially cheaper or materially pricier metro mix than the national average.
Louisiana sits at #12 of 43 states for Physicists COL-adjusted salary — comfortably above the national midpoint.
Where does Physicists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Louisiana ranks #12 out of 43 states for Physicists after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Physicists take-home pay in Louisiana after taxes →
A Physicists in Louisiana earns a median salary of $166,240 per year. After adjusting for Louisiana's cost of living (RPP=90.6), the real purchasing power is $183,487 — a +10.4% difference.
Louisiana's cost of living is 9.4% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Louisiana is 90.6 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Physicists in Louisiana: $166,240 x (100 / 90.6) = $183,487. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Physicists in Louisiana enjoys 10.4% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
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