What does a Physicists salary really buy you in New Jersey?
New Jersey is 8.8% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
New Jersey's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 108.8, meaning prices are 8.8% higher the national average. A Physicists earning $168,610 in New Jersey has the equivalent purchasing power of $154,972 in an average-cost US state.
While $168,610 sounds high, New Jersey's elevated cost of living erases 8% of that salary's purchasing power. Your real buying power is $154,972. Consider whether the higher pay offsets the higher costs.
Where does Physicists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
New Jersey ranks #19 out of 39 states for Physicists after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Physicists in New Jersey earns a median salary of $168,610 per year. After adjusting for New Jersey's cost of living (RPP=108.8), the real purchasing power is $154,972 — a -8.1% difference.
New Jersey's cost of living is 8.8% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for New Jersey is 108.8 (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 New Jersey: $168,610 x (100 / 108.8) = $154,972. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Physicists's nominal salary of $168,610 in New Jersey has 8.1% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $154,972. However, New Jersey may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.