Physicists Salaries in Fargo, ND
Average Base Pay
$162,923/yr
2% above national average
Monthly
$13,577
Hourly
$78
Cost Index
94
Physicists in Fargo, ND earn an average of $162,923 per year, with most salaries falling between $130,338 and $195,508 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 2% above the national average, Fargo ranks among the higher-paying markets for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 94. For professionals evaluating a move or negotiating an offer, the headline salary is only part of the picture—what matters most is how far that income actually goes once taxes, rent, and daily expenses are factored in. The sections below break that down in full for Fargo.
Salary Range
The chart below shows the full compensation spectrum for this role, from entry-level to senior positions. The highlighted center bars represent the 25th–75th percentile band where most professionals are paid.
Low
Median
High
About Physicists
Research Scientists conduct original scientific investigation to advance knowledge or develop practical applications in fields ranging from biology and chemistry to materials science, physics, and computer science. In academic settings, they design experiments, collect and analyze data, develop and test hypotheses, and publish findings in peer-reviewed journals. In corporate or government research settings, the work is often more applied—translating scientific knowledge into new products, processes, or technologies with commercial or policy value. The research process demands rigorous experimental design, statistical analysis, and critical interpretation of results. Research scientists must command the existing literature in their field, position their work relative to prior knowledge, and communicate findings to both scientific and lay audiences. Collaboration with other scientists, technicians, and sometimes clinicians or engineers is standard, as is mentorship of graduate students or junior researchers. Securing research funding through competitive grant applications is a critical skill in academic research careers. A doctoral degree (PhD) is the standard entry-level credential for independent research positions.
What Physicists Do
- Design and conduct original experiments to test hypotheses
- Analyze experimental data using statistical methods and domain-specific tools
- Review and synthesize scientific literature relevant to the research area
- Write research papers, grant proposals, and technical reports
- Present findings at scientific conferences and institutional seminars
- Mentor and supervise graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, or technicians
- Collaborate with other scientists and engineers on interdisciplinary projects
- Maintain laboratory notebooks and ensure research reproducibility
Key Skills & Qualifications
- Deep domain expertise in relevant scientific field
- Experimental design including controls, replication, and statistical power
- Statistical analysis using R, Python, or specialized domain software
- Scientific writing for journal submission and grant applications
- Laboratory techniques specific to discipline
- Literature review and critical analysis of scientific evidence
- PhD in relevant scientific discipline
- Grant writing and funding acquisition
Career Path
- Research Associate / Lab Technician
- Postdoctoral Researcher
- Research Scientist
- Senior Research Scientist / Principal Investigator
- Department Director / Chief Scientific Officer
Physicists Market in Fargo, ND
Salary Competitiveness
Fargo salaries for Physicists track closely with the national median, diverging by less than 4%. This alignment suggests a competitive but balanced local market—employers are broadly in step with national pay scales, which can make benchmark comparisons more reliable when negotiating.
Cost of Living Impact
Fargo sits close to the national cost average. Monthly essential expenses represent about 25% of take-home pay for this role—a midrange ratio that allows for modest savings and discretionary spending, provided housing costs remain stable.
Effective Purchasing Power
After adjusting for local taxes and cost of living, a Physicists earning $162,923 in Fargo reaches a strong purchasing-power position. The effective standard of living this income supports is materially higher than the gross number alone implies—a useful data point for professionals comparing offers across metro areas.
vs. National Avg
+2%
Cost Pressure
25%
Purchasing Power
Strong
Take-Home Pay Calculator
Enter any gross salary to see how federal and state taxes affect your actual take-home pay, broken down by year, month, and week. Results use an estimated effective tax rate of 27% based on this location and income level.
Annual Net
$118,934
Monthly
$9,911
Weekly
$2,287
Eff. Tax Rate
27%
A gross salary of $162,923 for a Physicists in Fargo translates to roughly $9,911 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $2,436—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $7,475 per month in disposable income. That margin, not the gross number, is what determines whether you can comfortably cover rent, build savings, and afford discretionary spending in Fargo's current market.
How far does this salary go in Fargo?
Cost of Living in Fargo
Estimated monthly expenses for a single person in Fargo, benchmarked against US regional price indices for housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare.
Cost Index
94
Below Avg — US average is 100. Based on a single person (1-bed apartment).
Financial Reality Check
This section compares estimated monthly take-home pay against typical living costs in Fargo to show your real disposable income—the amount remaining after essential bills are paid each month.
Monthly Take-Home
$9,911
Living Costs
$2,436
Disposable
$7,475
Cost Index
94
Lifestyle
Comfortable
With a monthly take-home of $9,911, your estimated living costs in Fargo are $2,436 ($29,232/yr). This leaves $7,475 per month in disposable income, indicating a comfortable standard of living. Fargo's cost of living is 6% below the national average.
Overall, a Physicists earning $162,923 in Fargo falls into a comfortable lifestyle tier and has meaningful room to save, invest, and absorb unexpected expenses without financial stress. With a cost index of 94, Fargo is 6% more affordable than the national average, which extends your purchasing power. Regardless of tier, prioritizing retirement contributions, an emergency fund of three to six months' expenses, and incremental debt reduction will yield the greatest long-term financial stability—especially as living costs in Fargo continue to evolve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compare Instantly
See how Physicists salary in Fargo stacks up against other cities.
- vs. Nashville, TN
$226,750/yr+$63,827
vs Fargo - vs. Cleveland, OH
$225,930/yr+$63,007
vs Fargo - vs. Miami, FL
$219,070/yr+$56,147
vs Fargo - vs. Fort Lauderdale, FL
$219,070/yr+$56,147
vs Fargo
Full breakdown: cost of living, net pay, lifestyle score
Compare Cities
Same role, different locations
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Other roles in the same area
City Rankings for Physicists
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Gross Salary
$162,923/yr
Take-home
$9,911/mo
Disposable
$7,475/mo
Lifestyle
Comfortable
Source: thesalaryindex.com · BLS data
Explore More Salary Data
Related pages — all links are live salary pages
Physicists in Other Cities
- Bismarck, ND$156,838
- Beaverton, OR$166,979
- San Jose, CA$214,520
- Arvada, CO$174,077
- Orange, CA$133,070
- Chicago, IL$131,260
- Marietta, GA$166,979
- Chino, CA$133,070
- Bethlehem, PA$154,810
- Ann Arbor, MI$153,796
- Lake Forest, CA$133,070
- Costa Mesa, CA$133,070
- Naperville, IL$165,965
- Huntington, WV$144,670
- Jersey City, NJ$181,176
- Stamford, CT$181,176
- Leesburg, VA$170,021
- Frederick, MD$187,260
- Irving, TX$202,610
- Hialeah, FL$219,070
Other Jobs in Fargo
- Avionics Technicians$77,553
- Architectural And Civil Drafters$65,096
- Shuttle Drivers And Chauffeurs$36,347
- Lodging Managers$69,720
- Weighers$44,983
- Chemistry Teachers$93,290
- Facilities Managers$104,311
- Heating$61,041
- Shoe Machine Operators And Tenders$44,599
- Opticians$46,007
- Hazardous Materials Removal Workers$49,656
- Arbitrators$75,067
- Industrial Engineers$105,807
- Therapists$65,902
- Bartenders$31,648
- Audiologists$93,224
- Actuaries$121,469
- Project Management Specialists$96,594
- Traffic Technicians$59,200
- Commercial Divers$89,975
Top Salary Comparisons
vs. Fargo
- Pompano Beach, FL+$56,147
- Boca Raton, FL+$56,147
- Kissimmee, FL+$56,147
- Hollywood, FL+$56,147
- Lakewood Ranch, FL+$56,147
- Cleveland, OH+$63,007
- Palm Coast, FL+$56,147
- Plantation, FL+$56,147
- Pembroke Pines, FL+$56,147
- Minneapolis, MN+$52,417
Highest-Paying Markets
Cities where Physicists pays most
- Nashville, TN$226,750
- Cleveland, OH$225,930
- Miami, FL$219,070
- Fort Lauderdale, FL$219,070
- Coral Gables, FL$219,070
- West Palm Beach, FL$219,070
- Boca Raton, FL$219,070
- Hollywood, FL$219,070
Most Affordable Markets
Cities with lowest cost of living
- Toledo, OH$136,558
- Brownsville, TX$136,558
- Mcallen, TX$154,810
- Topeka, KS$136,558
- Clovis, NM$175,160
- Gulfport, MS$142,642
- Wichita Falls, TX$137,572
- Canton, OH$137,572
Salary estimates are based on BLS metro data and adjusted using cost-of-living indices.