Astronomers vs Physicists
Workforce scale: Physicists is the larger published OEWS employment side - BLS May 2025
Peer titles in the larger-employment major groups
Title set and side labels change with each pair, so sibling compare pages diverge here before shared KPI chrome.
- 1. Agricultural Technicians · near Astronomers
- 2. Animal Scientists · near Astronomers
- 3. Anthropologists and Archeologists · near Astronomers
- 4. Atmospheric and Space Scientists · near Astronomers
- 5. Biochemists and Biophysicists · near Astronomers
Published O*NET tasks in the larger employment market
Task phrases are occupation-specific and survive digit/entity normalization, the residual twin mass after dose-1 chrome forks.
- Analyze research data to determine its significance, using computers. · Astronomers (SOC 19-2011)
- Present research findings at scientific conferences and in papers written for scientific journals. · Astronomers (SOC 19-2011)
- Study celestial phenomena, using a variety of ground-based and space-borne telescopes and scientific instruments. · Astronomers (SOC 19-2011)
- Collaborate with other astronomers to carry out research projects. · Astronomers (SOC 19-2011)
- Perform complex calculations as part of the analysis and evaluation of data, using computers. · Physicists (SOC 19-2012)
- Analyze data from research conducted to detect and measure physical phenomena. · Physicists (SOC 19-2012)
- Describe and express observations and conclusions in mathematical terms. · Physicists (SOC 19-2012)
- Design computer simulations to model physical data so that it can be better understood. · Physicists (SOC 19-2012)
Astronomers · U.S. employment
2,120
OEWS total employment
Physicists · U.S. employment
20,430
OEWS total employment
Scale dominates here: Physicists publishes 20,430 U.S. jobs against 2,120 on the other side (~9.6x). Peer titles above pull from each major group so the larger market’s neighbors are visible before percentile chrome.
Outlook still differs: Astronomers +2.2% vs Physicists +4% through 2034 · openings 100 vs 1,700/yr.
National medians: Astronomers $128,820 · Physicists $172,250.
Employment stack: Physicists scale
| Signal | Astronomers | Physicists |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. employment · Physicists scale | 2,120 | 20,430 |
| OEWS median annual · Astronomers | $128,820 | $172,250 |
| OEWS mean annual · Physicists | $132,920 | $171,180 |
| Annual openings · Physicists side | 100 | 1,700 |
| Job growth 2024-2034 · Astronomers | +2.2% | +4% |
| OEWS median hourly · Astronomers | $61.94/hr | $82.81/hr |
| 90th-percentile annual · Physicists band | $195,190 | $274,110 |
| 10th-percentile annual · Astronomers band | $78,010 | $82,110 |
| BLS typical education · Astronomers | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Related experience · Physicists | None | None |
Salary by State
Dual-state rows ordered so Physicists's state pay advantage surfaces first.
| State | Astronomers | Physicists | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $123,540 | $207,490 | $-83,950 |
| Maryland | $132,620 | $174,390 | $-41,770 |
| Virginia | $128,930 | $145,040 | $-16,110 |
| Hawaii | $102,000 | $117,190 | $-15,190 |
| Arizona | $129,020 | $130,500 | $-1,480 |
Also Compare
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025 release). Salary figures are annual medians and percentile bands published by BLS.
Common Questions
Which pays more, Astronomers or Physicists?
Which has better job outlook?
How much larger is the Physicists workforce?
Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.