Atmospheric and Space Scientists Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of atmospheric and space scientists to grow 2.6% from 2025 to 2035 (about 300 more jobs), with about 800 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $99,070 a year ranks 143rd of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +2.6%
- Openings a year
- 800
- Median pay
- $99,070
- Pay rank
- 143rd of 825
Is employment of atmospheric and space scientists growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of atmospheric and space scientists to rise 2.6% (about 300 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +7.6% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 48 life, physical, and social science occupations with a projection. That change ranks 427th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 10,700 |
| Employment, 2035 | 10,900 |
| Projected change | +2.6% |
| Openings a year | 800 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 10,700 jobs here differ from the 10,000 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 800 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 696th most of 830 occupations. About 96% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 30 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for atmospheric and space scientists rank?
The median of $99,070 a year ranks 143rd of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on pay and the lower half on openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: bachelor's degree.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrologists | +1.5% | 400 | $96,600 |
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | +5.1% | 1,800 | $101,920 |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | +2.1% | 1,400 | $122,570 |
| Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | +3.6% | 1,000 | $53,350 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | +6.1% | 7,300 | $82,220 |
| Geographers | -2.1% | 100 | $102,040 |
| Astronomers | +7.8% | 100 | $128,820 |
| Hydrologic Technicians | -1.3% | 400 | $64,790 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.