19 Series · SOC 19-2021
Atmospheric and Space Scientists Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $99,070
- Median / year
- +1.7%
- 2024→2025
- $161,890
- Top 10% earn
- +0.7%
- Growth '24–'34
- 10,000
- Estimated US jobs
Atmospheric and Space Scientists earn a median of $99,070 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $99,070, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $53,060 (10th percentile) to $161,890 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 10,000 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Maryland ($128,800).
The pay verdict
Atmospheric and Space Scientists earn a median of $99,070, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 83% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks #17 of 48 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 0.7% by 2034.
- $99,070
- Median annual wage
- Top 17%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #17 of 48
- in Life, Physical, and Social Science
- 3.1×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Maryland at $128,800. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Atmospheric and Space Scientists moved from $95,380 in May 2019 to $99,070 in May 2025 (+3.9%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Atmospheric and Space Scientists sits -20.6 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Atmospheric and Space Scientists (SOC 19-2021) has a national median of $99,070 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $53,060 to $161,890, and the published mean is $106,110. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 10,000 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 48 state or territory areas and 55 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $97,450 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $99,070 in May 2025, a rise of $1,620 (+1.7%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +0.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as slower than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 700 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Maryland pays the highest state median at $128,800, which is +30% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $151,000. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$99,070
per year
Median Hourly
$47.63/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$106,110
average
Employment
10,000
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Atmospheric and Space Scientists pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$99,070 Top 17% higher than 83% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 (this entry) | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$99,070 · 83rd percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 19-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Atmospheric and Space Scientists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Medical Scientists, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.7%, Median annual wage $103410
- Occupational Health …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.5%, Median annual wage $90150
- Environmental Scient…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $82220
- Chemists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $91240
- Clinical and Counsel…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.2%, Median annual wage $100580
- Life, Physical, and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $62280
- Biological Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $57510
- School Psychologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $95990
- Chemical Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $60390
- Biological Scientist…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $98920
- Urban and Regional P…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $89320
- Social Scientists an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.7%, Median annual wage $101110
- Environmental Scienc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $55090
- Biochemists and Biop…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.8%, Median annual wage $127410
- Social Science Resea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $61990
- Occupational Health …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.5%, Median annual wage $61560
- Forest and Conservat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.2%, Median annual wage $54560
- Conservation Scienti…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $73010
- Geoscientists, Excep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $101920
- Physical Scientists,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $122570
- Physicists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $172250
- Forensic Science Tec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.8%, Median annual wage $72060
- Microbiologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $87990
- Psychologists, All O…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $110840
- Atmospheric and Space Scientists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $99070
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+0.7%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
700
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+100
9,400 (2024) → 9,500 (2034)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
1.5/100K
Injury Rate
0.7/100
Danger Index
3.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Atmospheric and Space Scientists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Develop or use mathematical or computer models for weather forecasting.
- ▸ Interpret data, reports, maps, photographs, or charts to predict long- or short-range weather conditions, using computer models and knowledge of climate theory, physics, and mathematics.
- ▸ Conduct meteorological research into the processes or determinants of atmospheric phenomena, weather, or climate.
- ▸ Formulate predictions by interpreting environmental data, such as meteorological, atmospheric, oceanic, paleoclimate, climate, or related information.
- ▸ Broadcast weather conditions, forecasts, or severe weather warnings to the public via television, radio, or the Internet or provide this information to the news media.
- ▸ Prepare forecasts or briefings to meet the needs of industry, business, government, or other groups.
- ▸ Direct forecasting services at weather stations or at radio or television broadcasting facilities.
- ▸ Gather data from sources such as surface or upper air stations, satellites, weather bureaus, or radar for use in meteorological reports or forecasts.
- ▸ Develop computer programs to collect meteorological data or to present meteorological information.
- ▸ Prepare weather reports or maps for analysis, distribution, or use in weather broadcasts, using computer graphics.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Atmospheric and Space Scientists pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $89,820 |
| 2016 | $92,460 |
| 2017 | $92,070 |
| 2018 | $94,110 |
| 2019 | $95,380 |
| 2020 | $99,740 |
| 2021 | $94,570 |
| 2022 | $83,780 |
| 2023 | $92,860 |
| 2024 | $97,450 |
| 2025 | $99,070 |
2015 median
$89,820
2025 median
$99,070
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$3,690 (+3.9%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+0.6%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $89,820 | First banked release | 10,370 |
| May 2016 | $92,460 | +2.9% | 9,800 |
| May 2017 | $92,070 | -0.4% | 8,940 |
| May 2018 | $94,110 | +2.2% | 9,310 |
| May 2019 | $95,380 | Classification break | 9,290 |
| May 2020 | $99,740 | +4.6% | 10,210 |
| May 2021 | $94,570 | -5.2% | 8,520 |
| May 2022 | $83,780 | -11.4% | 9,900 |
| May 2023 | $92,860 | +10.8% | 9,310 |
| May 2024 | $97,450 | +4.9% | 8,780 |
| May 2025 | $99,070 | +1.7% | 10,000 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $89,820 in May 2015 to $99,070 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +0.6% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 9,290 in May 2019 to 10,000 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 48 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $128,800 | +30% above national |
| 2 | California | $124,920 | +26% above national |
| 3 | Hawaii | $121,010 | +22% above national |
| 4 | New Jersey | $120,180 | +21% above national |
| 5 | Idaho | $119,430 | +21% above national |
| 6 | New York | $117,540 | +19% above national |
| 7 | Florida | $115,960 | +17% above national |
| 8 | Arizona | $115,020 | +16% above national |
| 9 | Missouri | $114,230 | +15% above national |
| 10 | Illinois | $112,280 | +13% above national |
| 11 | Oregon | $112,260 | +13% above national |
| 12 | New Mexico | $110,070 | +11% above national |
| 13 | Kansas | $109,300 | +10% above national |
| 14 | Nevada | $109,300 | +10% above national |
| 15 | Montana | $108,890 | +10% above national |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $108,050 | +9% above national |
| 17 | Minnesota | $106,270 | +7% above national |
| 18 | Colorado | $104,670 | +6% above national |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $103,860 | +5% above national |
| 20 | Maine | $103,710 | +5% above national |
| 21 | Indiana | $103,680 | +5% above national |
| 22 | Kentucky | $103,240 | +4% above national |
| 23 | Michigan | $103,210 | +4% above national |
| 24 | Wyoming | $99,940 | +1% above national |
| 25 | Louisiana | $97,470 | 2% below national |
| 26 | Georgia | $96,820 | 2% below national |
| 27 | Utah | $96,520 | 3% below national |
| 28 | Tennessee | $96,190 | 3% below national |
| 29 | Washington | $94,400 | 5% below national |
| 30 | Alaska | $94,380 | 5% below national |
| 31 | North Carolina | $91,560 | 8% below national |
| 32 | North Dakota | $91,560 | 8% below national |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $85,870 | 13% below national |
| 34 | Connecticut | $85,110 | 14% below national |
| 35 | Texas | $84,990 | 14% below national |
| 36 | Virginia | $83,880 | 15% below national |
| 37 | South Carolina | $82,240 | 17% below national |
| 38 | Alabama | $81,080 | 18% below national |
| 39 | West Virginia | $80,690 | 19% below national |
| 40 | South Dakota | $78,900 | 20% below national |
| 41 | Ohio | $78,580 | 21% below national |
| 42 | Iowa | $76,850 | 22% below national |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $76,480 | 23% below national |
| 44 | Pennsylvania | $75,890 | 23% below national |
| 45 | Arkansas | $71,940 | 27% below national |
| 46 | Puerto Rico | $63,910 | 35% below national |
| 47 | Nebraska | $60,540 | 39% below national |
| 48 | New Hampshire | $42,820 | 57% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 54 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $151,000 | +52% above national |
| 2 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $134,060 | +35% above national |
| 3 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $133,490 | +35% above national |
| 4 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $128,800 | +30% above national |
| 5 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $128,790 | +30% above national |
| 6 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $127,070 | +28% above national |
| 7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $125,590 | +27% above national |
| 8 | Boise City, ID | $122,930 | +24% above national |
| 9 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $122,880 | +24% above national |
| 10 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $122,700 | +24% above national |
| 11 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $122,280 | +23% above national |
| 12 | Boulder, CO | $121,870 | +23% above national |
| 13 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $120,370 | +21% above national |
| 14 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $117,810 | +19% above national |
| 15 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $117,600 | +19% above national |
| 16 | Reno, NV | $115,650 | +17% above national |
| 17 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $113,550 | +15% above national |
| 18 | Richmond, VA | $112,510 | +14% above national |
| 19 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $111,790 | +13% above national |
| 20 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $111,650 | +13% above national |
| 21 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $110,960 | +12% above national |
| 22 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $108,810 | +10% above national |
| 23 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $108,040 | +9% above national |
| 24 | Madison, WI | $107,970 | +9% above national |
| 25 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $107,690 | +9% above national |
| 26 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $107,060 | +8% above national |
| 27 | Colorado Springs, CO | $106,020 | +7% above national |
| 28 | Rapid City, SD | $104,380 | +5% above national |
| 29 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $104,220 | +5% above national |
| 30 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $103,380 | +4% above national |
| 31 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $103,240 | +4% above national |
| 32 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $103,080 | +4% above national |
| 33 | Anchorage, AK | $101,640 | +3% above national |
| 34 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $100,650 | +2% above national |
| 35 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $98,920 | same as national |
| 36 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $94,380 | 5% below national |
| 37 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $92,790 | 6% below national |
| 38 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92,600 | 7% below national |
| 39 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $88,570 | 11% below national |
| 40 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $87,110 | 12% below national |
| 41 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $85,440 | 14% below national |
| 42 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $82,980 | 16% below national |
| 43 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $82,240 | 17% below national |
| 44 | Lubbock, TX | $81,350 | 18% below national |
| 45 | Huntsville, AL | $81,080 | 18% below national |
| 46 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $78,950 | 20% below national |
| 47 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $77,860 | 21% below national |
| 48 | Birmingham, AL | $77,580 | 22% below national |
| 49 | Tulsa, OK | $77,010 | 22% below national |
| 50 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $76,850 | 22% below national |
| 51 | Oklahoma City, OK | $76,480 | 23% below national |
| 52 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $72,800 | 27% below national |
| 53 | Omaha, NE-IA | $60,740 | 39% below national |
| 54 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $56,620 | 43% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 19 (Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Agricultural Technicians
SOC 19-4012
Animal Scientists
SOC 19-1011
Anthropologists and Archeologists
SOC 19-3091
Astronomers
SOC 19-2011
Biochemists and Biophysicists
SOC 19-1021
Showing 5 of 47 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($99,070 here) and reported employment (10,000 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Atmospheric and Space Scientists make? ▼
Where does Atmospheric and Space Scientists pay rank nationally? ▼
What state pays Atmospheric and Space Scientists the most? ▼
What education do Atmospheric and Space Scientists need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Atmospheric and Space Scientists? ▼
Is Atmospheric and Space Scientists a good career? ▼
How does Atmospheric and Space Scientists pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Atmospheric and Space Scientists? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Atmospheric and Space Scientists pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $129,960/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Maryland leads at $128,800/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.