Astronomers
Median $128,820
Occupation · SOC 19-2021
Atmospheric and Space Scientists: pay and where the jobs are
What atmospheric and space scientists earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$99,070 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $106,110
- Median hourly wage
- $47.63
- Mean hourly wage
- $51.01
- Employment
- 10,000
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 19-2021.
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See where your pay falls among atmospheric and space scientists nationally and in your state. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
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How much do atmospheric and space scientists make?
The median annual wage for atmospheric and space scientists was $99,070 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $53,060 and the highest-paid 10% more than $161,890. As an hourly rate, the median is $47.63. About 10,000 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in Maryland ($128,800), California ($124,920) and Hawaii ($121,010). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in Missouri.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for atmospheric and space scientists looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $53,060 | $25.51 | $4,422 | $3,734 |
| 25th percentile | $73,350 | $35.26 | $6,113 | $5,036 |
| Median | $99,070 | $47.63 | $8,256 | $6,544 |
| 75th percentile | $129,960 | $62.48 | $10,830 | $8,341 |
| 90th percentile | $161,890 | $77.83 | $13,491 | $10,160 |
Atmospheric and Space Scientists: pay by state
48 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$93,330 take-home in national prices
2
$91,762 take-home in national prices
3
$89,292 take-home in national prices
Where a median atmospheric and space scientist paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 750 | $128,800 | $83,230 | $168,460 | $93,373 | $88,962 |
| California | 510 | $124,920 | $82,900 | $175,900 | $87,652 | $79,166 |
| Hawaii | 70 | $121,010 | $82,930 | $160,330 | $86,178 | $78,378 |
| New Jersey | 60 | $120,180 | $64,210 | $190,780 | $87,216 | $80,158 |
| Idaho | 50 | $119,430 | $61,110 | $153,570 | $87,627 | $91,762 |
| New York | 370 | $117,540 | $58,670 | $300,530 | $85,182 | $78,930 |
| Florida | 270 | $115,960 | $52,980 | $172,410 | $90,408 | $87,423 |
| Arizona | 80 | $115,020 | $63,920 | $156,500 | $87,265 | $86,678 |
| Missouri | 160 | $114,230 | $60,740 | $147,640 | $84,759 | $93,330 |
| Illinois | 110 | $112,280 | $51,710 | $211,910 | $82,406 | $82,441 |
| Oregon | 100 | $112,260 | $65,830 | $149,060 | $78,648 | $76,090 |
| New Mexico | 60 | $110,070 | $61,760 | $161,890 | $82,202 | $89,144 |
| Kansas | 80 | $109,300 | $49,940 | $139,210 | $80,423 | $89,292 |
| Nevada | 120 | $109,300 | $64,990 | $191,150 | $85,723 | $85,741 |
| Montana | 70 | $108,890 | $61,110 | $136,990 | $80,643 | $85,205 |
| Massachusetts | Not published | $108,050 | $71,290 | $166,140 | $79,164 | $74,854 |
| Minnesota | 50 | $106,270 | $61,620 | $149,340 | $77,420 | $78,503 |
| Colorado | 1,150 | $104,670 | $76,110 | $165,500 | $78,108 | $75,794 |
| District of Columbia | 70 | $103,860 | $95,870 | $207,380 | $76,036 | $69,186 |
| Maine | 50 | $103,710 | $51,170 | $153,910 | $75,856 | $78,161 |
| Indiana | 80 | $103,680 | $67,430 | $155,000 | $78,740 | $84,368 |
| Kentucky | 100 | $103,240 | $54,540 | $166,960 | $77,964 | $86,473 |
| Michigan | 150 | $103,210 | $49,580 | $151,110 | $77,303 | $80,342 |
| Wyoming | 40 | $99,940 | $63,500 | $132,180 | $79,138 | $85,378 |
| Louisiana | 70 | $97,470 | $49,940 | $136,990 | $74,862 | $84,871 |
| Georgia | 170 | $96,820 | $47,260 | $150,300 | $72,860 | $75,665 |
| Utah | 170 | $96,520 | $53,060 | $126,440 | $72,437 | $73,269 |
| Tennessee | 230 | $96,190 | $77,580 | $137,880 | $76,500 | $83,269 |
| Washington | 190 | $94,400 | $76,440 | $160,750 | $73,931 | $69,086 |
| Alaska | Not published | $94,380 | $61,150 | $135,030 | $74,955 | $73,228 |
| North Carolina | 170 | $91,560 | $49,940 | $136,990 | $70,098 | $74,315 |
| North Dakota | 40 | $91,560 | $48,570 | $136,990 | $72,716 | $81,741 |
| Wisconsin | 280 | $85,870 | $61,110 | $135,670 | $65,651 | $69,771 |
| Connecticut | 50 | $85,110 | $69,370 | $234,100 | $64,348 | $62,106 |
| Texas | 720 | $84,990 | $46,370 | $131,750 | $68,620 | $70,701 |
| Virginia | 350 | $83,880 | $68,770 | $179,050 | $63,831 | $63,134 |
| South Carolina | 150 | $82,240 | $60,200 | $136,990 | $63,548 | $67,786 |
| Alabama | 340 | $81,080 | $47,330 | $151,300 | $62,506 | $70,372 |
| West Virginia | 40 | $80,690 | $41,650 | $136,990 | $62,789 | $70,158 |
| South Dakota | 130 | $78,900 | $63,350 | $129,960 | $64,336 | $72,626 |
| Ohio | 160 | $78,580 | $62,990 | $142,690 | $62,394 | $67,253 |
| Iowa | 100 | $76,850 | $50,300 | $139,170 | $60,625 | $69,079 |
| Oklahoma | 420 | $76,480 | $44,660 | $136,990 | $59,738 | $68,005 |
| Pennsylvania | 160 | $75,890 | $49,750 | $156,750 | $59,836 | $61,325 |
| Arkansas | Not published | $71,940 | $65,610 | $216,310 | $57,266 | $65,870 |
| Puerto Rico | 40 | $63,910 | $61,860 | $119,430 | — | — |
| Nebraska | 160 | $60,540 | $57,140 | $136,970 | $48,949 | $54,325 |
| New Hampshire | 130 | $42,820 | $40,350 | $65,100 | $36,586 | $35,123 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 19-2021. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.