Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Wide pay band SOC 19-2011

Astronomers

The published band from $78,010 to $195,190 is the distinctive signal for this role, not a twin of Political Scientists.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Astronomers: Political Scientists ($142K) , Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other ($101K) , Geographers ($102K) , Physical Scientists, All Other ($123K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Astronomers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 19-2011 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Analyze research data to determine its significance, using computers
  2. 2. Present research findings at scientific conferences and in papers written for scientific journals
  3. 3. Study celestial phenomena, using a variety of ground-based and space-borne telescopes and scientific instruments
  4. 4. Collaborate with other astronomers to carry out research projects
  5. 5. Mentor graduate students and junior colleagues
  6. 6. Supervise students' research on celestial and astronomical phenomena
  7. 7. Teach astronomy or astrophysics
  8. 8. Develop theories based on personal observations or on observations and theories of other astronomers
  9. 9. Measure radio, infrared, gamma, and x-ray emissions from extraterrestrial sources
  10. 10. Develop instrumentation and software for astronomical observation and analysis
  11. 11. Review scientific proposals and research papers
  12. 12. Raise funds for scientific research

Astronomers: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 19-2011 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 4.3 ; lead knowledge Physics. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 4.3
  2. 2. Science 4.3
  3. 3. Writing 4.1
  4. 4. Mathematics 4.1
  5. 5. Critical Thinking 4.1
  6. 6. Active Listening 4.0
  7. 7. Speaking 4.0
  8. 8. Active Learning 4.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Physics 5.0
  2. 2. Mathematics 4.9
  3. 3. Computers and Electronics 4.2
  4. 4. English Language 4.0
  5. 5. Education and Training 3.4
  6. 6. Engineering and Technology 3.2
Published pay band (10th to 90th)
$78,010 to $195,190
median $128,820 · ~2.5× spread
$129K
National median
↑ +2%
Growth 2024-2034
100
Annual openings
2,120
Estimated US jobs
Political Scientists
Highest-pay peer · $142K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Doctoral or professional degree

Top Paying States for Astronomers

1. Maryland $132,620
2. Hawaii $102,000
3. Virginia $128,930
4. California $123,540
5. Arizona $129,020

Other Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations titles

  1. 1. Geographers $102,040
  2. 2. Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other $101,110
  3. 3. Physical Scientists, All Other $122,570
  4. 4. Political Scientists $142,080
  5. 5. Sociologists $106,030
  6. 6. Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $101,920

The OEWS band for Astronomers runs from $78,010 (10th) to $195,190 (90th), about 2.5× wide, with median $128,820. That spread, not the midpoint alone, is the distinctive published fact.

Employment Projections expect +2% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 100 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Doctoral or professional degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Maryland at $132,620. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Political Scientists at $142,080. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Astronomers pay-rank #4 in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

Among 48 detailed Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations with a published OEWS median, Astronomers is pay-rank #4, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Astronomers is unusually wide, so the state map and peer comparison carry more signal than the median alone.

Astronomers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 19-2011

Maryland · top state for Astronomers

$133K published median

Hawaii · #2 state pay

$102K · behind Maryland

Political Scientists

Highest-pay peer vs Astronomers · $142K

Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other

Lower-pay peer beside Astronomers · $101K

Compare Astronomers

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Astronomers with another occupation →

Pay-band next reads

Entry-Level vs Experienced Pay

What percentile bands reveal

Using Salary Data for Negotiation

Leverage BLS percentiles

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations titles sit near Astronomers at the top of the pay table? ▼
Astronomers is pay-rank #4 of 48 detailed Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Biochemists and Biophysicists ($127K), Economists ($125K), Physical Scientists, All Other ($123K), Materials Scientists ($118K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do astronomers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Astronomers. Leading ones include: Analyze research data to determine its significance, using computers; Present research findings at scientific conferences and in papers written for scientific journals; Study celestial phenomena, using a variety of ground-based and space-borne telescopes and scientific instruments; Collaborate with other astronomers to carry out research projects. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for astronomers? ▼
For SOC 19-2011, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (4.3), Science (4.3), Writing (4.1), Mathematics (4.1). Knowledge areas emphasize Physics, Mathematics, Computers and Electronics. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
How wide is the published pay band for Astronomers? ▼
OEWS places the 10th percentile at $78,010 and the 90th at $195,190 for Astronomers (2.5× spread). The national median is $128,820. OEWS does not isolate experience, employer, or geography as the cause of that spread.
What employment change does BLS publish for Astronomers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Astronomers is +2%. Projected annual openings: about 100. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Astronomers? ▼
BLS assigns Doctoral or professional degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Astronomers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Astronomers? ▼
Maryland ($132,620), Hawaii ($102,000), Virginia ($128,930) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Astronomers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 19-2011. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Astronomers. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics