- Salary statistics
- Atomic physicist salary
Atomic physicist salary
Latest available salary statistics are for 2025. Compare average pay, salary range and related job listings.
44 500 - 61 000 SEK / month
Women earn 93% of what men do.
Naturvetenskapligt arbete
Related tools
Salary progression Atomic physicist
What does an atomic physicist do? – Tasks and work environment
An atomic physicist works with investigating and analyzing the structure of matter at an atomic level. Tasks often include experimental and theoretical research on the structure, interactions, and properties of atoms and molecules. Many atomic physicists participate in advanced laboratory experiments, develop new measurement methods, and contribute to innovation in areas such as materials science, medicine, or energy technology. The work environment is typically laboratory or university-based, often in collaboration with international research teams and with access to advanced technology and instrumentation.
Salary development over time
The salary for atomic physicists has steadily increased over the past three years. In 2022, the average salary was 48,500 SEK, rising the following year to 49300 SEK, which is approximately a 2.5 % increase. In 2024, the trend continued upward to 53 100 SEK, representing an additional increase of just over 3.6 % from the previous year. This positive trend is partly due to the high level of education and specialized skills in demand within the field, as well as competition for qualified research and technical personnel. Despite the relatively small size of the profession, a stable salary level and a slowly increasing trend are observed, indicating that atomic physicists continue to be highly valued in the labor market.
Atomic physicist salary – comprehensive overview
- Average salary: 53 100 SEK/month
- Salary range: 41,600–58,500 SEK/month
- Educational level: PhD in physics recommended
- Work environment: Laboratory and research environment, often international
- Available jobs in the profession: 143
Education and qualifications
To work as an atomic physicist, a solid academic education in physics is usually required, often with a research focus. The pathway involves university studies with advanced level courses and doctoral studies in atomic or nuclear physics. Practical laboratory experience and specialization in quantum mechanics or related fields are often necessary.
- Formal degree: Master’s or engineering degree in physics (5 years), followed by doctoral studies (4–5 years)
- Prerequisites: High school diploma with a science-oriented focus, especially good grades in mathematics and physics
- Internship/trainee: Research internships or laboratory work during studies are highly recommended
- Courses/certifications: Advanced courses in quantum mechanics, spectroscopy, and mathematics
- Tips for choosing: Early specialization and participation in research projects increase chances of doctoral positions
Many atomic physicists have the opportunity to work in international research teams and participate in projects at large research facilities such as CERN or MAX IV. Such collaborations provide access not only to advanced equipment but also valuable networks and experiences from research environments around the world.
Common benefits and compensations
In addition to base salary, atomic physicists often receive collective agreement benefits such as occupational pension, wellness allowance, flexitime, and opportunities for professional development. In some cases, extra vacation days, research grants, and access to international conferences are included as part of the employment.
Competition and challenges
The profession of atomic physicist is characterized by fierce competition for research positions and project funding, especially within academia. The number of positions is limited, and recruitment processes can be extensive. Continuous skills development is necessary to stay updated in a rapidly evolving research field. Uncertain funding and reliance on external research grants can impact working conditions and job security. Despite this, demand for highly specialized physicists remains stable, particularly within technologically advanced industries and international research projects.
Tips for those who want to become an atomic physicist
To succeed as an atomic physicist, it’s beneficial to combine curiosity and analytical skills with a structured approach. Early focus on mathematics and physics during high school lays a strong foundation for university studies, and engagement in research projects during education enhances practical experience and problem-solving skills. Persistence is crucial since the path to a doctoral position is long and demanding, but goal-oriented individuals with good teamwork skills have great opportunities to develop. It’s also important to be communicative, as much of the work is done in international teams and results need to be clearly presented. Networking and seeking exchanges or internships at research institutions can open doors to exciting career paths.
Key facts about atomic physicists
- Average salary: 53 100 SEK/month
- Salary range: 41,600–58,500 SEK/month
- Educational level: PhD in physics recommended
- Work environment: Laboratory and research environment, often international
- Available jobs in the profession: 143
Career paths and future prospects
After 3–5 years in the profession, atomic physicists can advance to leading roles within research projects, become research leaders, or move into industry as specialists in areas such as materials development or energy technology. Many choose to continue in academia, aiming for associate professorships or professorships, while others transition to work in technology development, medical technology, or advanced computational physics. According to the Swedish Employment Service's forecasts, no specific outlook for atomic physicists is made due to limited data, but the 'Physicists and Astronomers' profession reported 143 available jobs in the latest survey. This suggests continued demand, especially in research and high-tech industries.
Common questions about atomic physicists
- What is the average salary of an atomic physicist?
- An atomic physicist has an average salary of 53 100 SEK per month. - What is required to become an atomic physicist?
- A master’s or engineering degree in physics, often followed by doctoral studies (PhD). - Are there gender differences in the salary for atomic physicists?
- Yes, women earn on average 50 300 SEK while men earn 54 200 SEK, which corresponds to 93 % of men's salary. - What is the highest salary for an atomic physicist?
- The highest salary is 58,500 SEK per month for a male in the municipal sector with doctoral studies. - What does the job market look like for atomic physicists?
- There are 143 available jobs within the 'Physicists and Astronomers' profession, but no specific forecast for atomic physicists. - What work environments are common for atomic physicists?
- Common work environments include laboratories, universities, and international research facilities. - What is the lowest salary for an atomic physicist?
- The lowest salary is 41,600 SEK per month for a woman employed in the private sector with post-secondary education shorter than 3 years.
Salary distributed by age and sector
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 42300 kr | 42500 kr |
| 35-44 | 98% | 50900 kr | 51100 kr |
| 45-54 | 100% | 57600 kr | 57800 kr |
| 55-64 | 65700 kr | 65800 kr | |
| Snitt | 93% | 52900 kr | 53100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 104% | 38900 kr | 38900 kr |
| 25-34 | 101% | 42500 kr | 42600 kr |
| 35-44 | 98% | 50300 kr | 50500 kr |
| 45-54 | 100% | 56500 kr | 56700 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 62200 kr | 62300 kr |
| 65-68 | 111% | 62400 kr | 62400 kr |
| Snitt | 96% | 51300 kr | 51400 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 104% | 38900 kr | 38900 kr |
| 25-34 | 102% | 42400 kr | 42600 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 49400 kr | 49500 kr |
| 45-54 | 100% | 55800 kr | 55900 kr |
| 55-64 | 93% | 61300 kr | 61300 kr |
| 65-68 | 61200 kr | 61200 kr | |
| Snitt | 95% | 50600 kr | 50700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 100% | 42500 kr | 42900 kr |
| 35-44 | 95% | 52500 kr | 52800 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 58800 kr | 59000 kr |
| 55-64 | 101% | 64700 kr | 65000 kr |
| 65-68 | 105% | 65300 kr | 65300 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 53100 kr | 53400 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snitt | 65800 kr | 66100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snitt | 65800 kr | 66100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 42500 kr | 42600 kr |
| 35-44 | 98% | 51200 kr | 51400 kr |
| 45-54 | 100% | 57600 kr | 57800 kr |
| 55-64 | 66500 kr | 66600 kr | |
| Snitt | 93% | 54100 kr | 54200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 104% | 38200 kr | 38200 kr |
| 25-34 | 101% | 42400 kr | 42500 kr |
| 35-44 | 98% | 50500 kr | 50700 kr |
| 45-54 | 100% | 56600 kr | 56700 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 62200 kr | 62300 kr |
| 65-68 | 111% | 61400 kr | 61400 kr |
| Snitt | 96% | 51800 kr | 52000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 104% | 38200 kr | 38200 kr |
| 25-34 | 102% | 42300 kr | 42400 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 49700 kr | 49800 kr |
| 45-54 | 100% | 55800 kr | 55900 kr |
| 55-64 | 93% | 61800 kr | 61800 kr |
| 65-68 | 60700 kr | 60700 kr | |
| Snitt | 95% | 51200 kr | 51300 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 100% | 42600 kr | 42800 kr |
| 35-44 | 95% | 53700 kr | 53900 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 60000 kr | 60200 kr |
| 55-64 | 101% | 64300 kr | 64600 kr |
| 65-68 | 105% | 64000 kr | 64000 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 54700 kr | 55000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 42000 kr | 42400 kr |
| 35-44 | 98% | 50300 kr | 50500 kr |
| 45-54 | 100% | 57500 kr | 57700 kr |
| Snitt | 93% | 50100 kr | 50300 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 104% | 39700 kr | 39700 kr |
| 25-34 | 101% | 42700 kr | 43000 kr |
| 35-44 | 98% | 49700 kr | 49900 kr |
| 45-54 | 100% | 56400 kr | 56600 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 61900 kr | 61900 kr |
| 65-68 | 111% | 68000 kr | 68000 kr |
| Snitt | 96% | 49800 kr | 50100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 104% | 39700 kr | 39700 kr |
| 25-34 | 102% | 42800 kr | 43100 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 48300 kr | 48400 kr |
| 45-54 | 100% | 55900 kr | 55900 kr |
| 55-64 | 93% | 57200 kr | 57200 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 48400 kr | 48600 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 100% | 42500 kr | 42900 kr |
| 35-44 | 95% | 51100 kr | 51400 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 57200 kr | 57600 kr |
| 55-64 | 101% | 65400 kr | 65500 kr |
| 65-68 | 105% | 67000 kr | 67000 kr |
| Snitt | 94% | 51400 kr | 51800 kr |
About the data
All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.
All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.
Profession Atomic physicist has the SSYK code 2111, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.
-
Senior Research Engineer in Computational Studies of Radical Systems – Linköping University
Physicists and astronomers
Tue, 23 Jun 2026 - 23:50 -
Postdoc in Microphysiological Systems and Biomaterials – Cancer Immunobiology
Physicists and astronomers
Fri, 19 Jun 2026 - 06:33 -
Hospital Physicist for Nuclear Medicine in Huddinge
Physicists and astronomers
Thu, 18 Jun 2026 - 22:07
Compare salary, work tasks and job outlook in adjacent occupations to find roles with similar skills or pay levels.
-
Average salary: 42 600 SEK/month • Naturvetenskapligt arbete
Plant and animal biologists
Compare with Atomic physicist
Tue, 23 Jun 2026 - 20:04 -
Environmental and health protection officer salary
Average salary: 42 600 SEK/month • Naturvetenskapligt arbete
Environmental and health protection inspectors
Compare with Atomic physicist
Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 10:26 -
Master of Science in Engineering, biotechnology waste treatment salary
Average salary: 49 900 SEK/month • Naturvetenskapligt arbete
Specialists in environmental protection and environmental technology
Compare with Atomic physicist
Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 10:26 -
Development engineer, physics salary
Average salary: 53 100 SEK/month • Naturvetenskapligt arbete
Physicists and astronomers
Compare with Atomic physicist
Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 05:58 -
Average salary: 49 400 SEK/month • Naturvetenskapligt arbete
Geologists and geophysicists etc.
Compare with Atomic physicist
Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 09:41 -
Head of Environmental Protection salary
Average salary: 42 600 SEK/month • Naturvetenskapligt arbete
Environmental and health protection inspectors
Compare with Atomic physicist
Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 08:35
