Physicists Salaries in Laredo, TX
Average Base Pay
$138,586/yr
14% below national average
Monthly
$11,549
Hourly
$67
Cost Index
70
Physicists in Laredo, TX earn an average of $138,586 per year, with most salaries falling between $110,869 and $166,303 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 14% below the national average, Laredo offers a more modest rate for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 70. 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 Laredo.
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 Laredo, TX
Salary Competitiveness
Laredo currently pays 14% below the national median for Physicists. This gap can reflect a lower regional cost base, thinner employer density, or a surplus of qualified candidates relative to open roles—factors worth factoring into any offer negotiation or relocation calculation.
Cost of Living Impact
Laredo's cost of living runs below the national average, which works in favor of this salary. Essential monthly expenses account for approximately 22% of take-home pay—a ratio that leaves meaningful room for savings, debt reduction, and discretionary spending compared with higher-cost metros.
Effective Purchasing Power
After adjusting for local taxes and cost of living, a Physicists earning $138,586 in Laredo 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
-14%
Cost Pressure
22%
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
$101,168
Monthly
$8,431
Weekly
$1,946
Eff. Tax Rate
27%
A gross salary of $138,586 for a Physicists in Laredo translates to roughly $8,431 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $1,868—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $6,563 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 Laredo's current market.
How far does this salary go in Laredo?
Cost of Living in Laredo
Estimated monthly expenses for a single person in Laredo, benchmarked against US regional price indices for housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare.
Cost Index
70
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 Laredo to show your real disposable income—the amount remaining after essential bills are paid each month.
Monthly Take-Home
$8,431
Living Costs
$1,868
Disposable
$6,563
Cost Index
70
Lifestyle
Comfortable
With a monthly take-home of $8,431, your estimated living costs in Laredo are $1,868 ($22,416/yr). This leaves $6,563 per month in disposable income, indicating a comfortable standard of living. Laredo's cost of living is 30% below the national average.
Overall, a Physicists earning $138,586 in Laredo 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 70, Laredo is 30% 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 Laredo continue to evolve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compare Instantly
See how Physicists salary in Laredo stacks up against other cities.
- vs. Nashville, TN
$226,750/yr+$88,164
vs Laredo - vs. Cleveland, OH
$225,930/yr+$87,344
vs Laredo - vs. Miami, FL
$219,070/yr+$80,484
vs Laredo - vs. Fort Lauderdale, FL
$219,070/yr+$80,484
vs Laredo
Full breakdown: cost of living, net pay, lifestyle score
Compare Cities
Same role, different locations
Related Jobs in Laredo
Other roles in the same area
City Rankings for Physicists
Share this salary
Gross Salary
$138,586/yr
Take-home
$8,431/mo
Disposable
$6,563/mo
Lifestyle
Comfortable
Source: thesalaryindex.com · BLS data
Explore More Salary Data
Related pages — all links are live salary pages
Physicists in Other Cities
- Auburn, AL$150,754
- Jacksonville, NC$155,824
- Davenport, IA$140,614
- Palmdale, CA$133,070
- Silver Spring, MD$187,260
- Idaho Falls, ID$153,796
- Naperville, IL$165,965
- Jersey City, NJ$181,176
- Pasadena, CA$133,070
- Fairfield, CA$133,070
- Warner Robins, GA$148,726
- Chandler, AZ$166,979
- Columbia, MD$187,260
- Somerville, MA$153,890
- San Marcos, CA$133,070
- White Plains, NY$182,190
- Fredericksburg, VA$170,021
- Gainesville, GA$154,810
- Lewisville, TX$202,610
- Nashville, TN$226,750
Other Jobs in Laredo
- Gambling Service Workers$27,072
- General Internal Medicine Physicians$155,548
- Administrative Services Managers$92,221
- Fundraising Managers$91,738
- Agricultural Equipment Operators$36,695
- Jewelers And Precious Stone And Metal Workers$41,612
- Industrial Engineering Technologists And Technicians$58,596
- Musical Instrument Repairers And Tuners$39,285
- Mechanical Drafters$61,627
- Automotive Body And Related Repairers$45,362
- Machine Feeders And Offbearers$35,827
- Art Directors$84,105
- Astronomers$111,885
- Sewers$30,452
- Architectural And Civil Drafters$55,372
- Counselors$43,301
- Web Developers$76,316
- Pile Driver Operators$75,642
- Ophthalmologists$175,132
- Laborers And Freight$33,089
Top Salary Comparisons
vs. Laredo
- Nashville, TN+$88,164
- Coral Springs, FL+$80,484
- Boca Raton, FL+$80,484
- Palm Coast, FL+$80,484
- Clearwater, FL+$80,484
- San Jose, CA+$75,934
- Pompano Beach, FL+$80,484
- Delray Beach, FL+$80,484
- Miami, FL+$80,484
- Plantation, FL+$80,484
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.