What does a Physicists salary really buy you in Oregon?
Oregon is 6.6% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Oregon's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 106.6, meaning prices are 6.6% higher the national average. A Physicists earning $183,860 in Oregon has the equivalent purchasing power of $172,476 in an average-cost US state.
While $183,860 sounds high, Oregon's elevated cost of living erases 6% of that salary's purchasing power. Your real buying power is $172,476. 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.
Oregon ranks #12 out of 39 states for Physicists after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Physicists in Oregon earns a median salary of $183,860 per year. After adjusting for Oregon's cost of living (RPP=106.6), the real purchasing power is $172,476 — a -6.2% difference.
Oregon's cost of living is 6.6% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Oregon is 106.6 (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 Oregon: $183,860 x (100 / 106.6) = $172,476. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Physicists's nominal salary of $183,860 in Oregon has 6.2% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $172,476. However, Oregon may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.