Atmospheric and Space Scientists pay in the U.S.
$106,110avg. a year
$51.01 an hour · 10,000 employed
Atmospheric and Space Scientists in the U.S. earn an average of $106,110 a year and a median of $99,070. Pay is highest in New York ($154,830) and lowest in New Hampshire ($52,790).
$99,070Median pay
$51.01Average hourly
+6%Avg. pay since 2020
10,000Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for atmospheric and space scientists
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
1370 jobs
New York
$154,830
$74.44 an hour
2110 jobs
Illinois
$147,860
$71.09 an hour
370 jobs
District of Columbia
$143,270
$68.88 an hour
4510 jobs
California
$127,330
$61.21 an hour
5750 jobs
Maryland
$127,180
$61.14 an hour
680 jobs
Indiana
$125,410
$60.29 an hour
760 jobs
New Jersey
$124,250
$59.74 an hour
870 jobs
Hawaii
$121,740
$58.53 an hour
9120 jobs
Nevada
$121,680
$58.50 an hour
10
Massachusetts
$119,440
$57.43 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Atmospheric and Space Scientists pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $94k$94k–$106k$106k–$116k$116k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $172,010 | $82.70 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $127,450 | $61.27 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $124,880 | $60.04 |
| Boulder, CO | $123,680 | $59.46 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $120,280 | $57.83 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $118,740 | $57.09 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $118,410 | $56.93 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $112,630 | $54.15 |
Related jobs
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$91,680
- Chemists$100,450
- Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$116,150
- Physical Scientists, All Other$129,230
- Physicists$171,180
- Materials Scientists$126,180
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Atmospheric and Space Scientists pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $93,820 | $81,080 | 340 |
| Alaska | $93,570 | $94,380 | – |
| Arizona | $112,930 | $115,020 | 80 |
| Arkansas | $97,040 | $71,940 | – |
| California | $127,330 | $124,920 | 510 |
| Colorado | $115,630 | $104,670 | 1,150 |
| Connecticut | $116,270 | $85,110 | 50 |
| District of Columbia | $143,270 | $103,860 | 70 |
| Florida | $114,740 | $115,960 | 270 |
| Georgia | $101,890 | $96,820 | 170 |
| Hawaii | $121,740 | $121,010 | 70 |
| Idaho | $113,340 | $119,430 | 50 |
| Illinois | $147,860 | $112,280 | 110 |
| Indiana | $125,410 | $103,680 | 80 |
| Iowa | $89,160 | $76,850 | 100 |
| Kansas | $107,280 | $109,300 | 80 |
| Kentucky | $106,230 | $103,240 | 100 |
| Louisiana | $102,230 | $97,470 | 70 |
| Maine | $103,910 | $103,710 | 50 |
| Maryland | $127,180 | $128,800 | 750 |
| Massachusetts | $119,440 | $108,050 | – |
| Michigan | $106,510 | $103,210 | 150 |
| Minnesota | $111,820 | $106,270 | 50 |
| Missouri | $108,510 | $114,230 | 160 |
| Montana | $102,700 | $108,890 | 70 |
| Nebraska | $83,250 | $60,540 | 160 |
| Nevada | $121,680 | $109,300 | 120 |
| New Hampshire | $52,790 | $42,820 | 130 |
| New Jersey | $124,250 | $120,180 | 60 |
| New Mexico | $112,920 | $110,070 | 60 |
| New York | $154,830 | $117,540 | 370 |
| North Carolina | $93,080 | $91,560 | 170 |
| North Dakota | $94,450 | $91,560 | 40 |
| Ohio | $96,920 | $78,580 | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $86,130 | $76,480 | 420 |
| Oregon | $111,370 | $112,260 | 100 |
| Pennsylvania | $88,930 | $75,890 | 160 |
| South Carolina | $93,390 | $82,240 | 150 |
| South Dakota | $89,140 | $78,900 | 130 |
| Tennessee | $104,300 | $96,190 | 230 |
| Texas | $86,470 | $84,990 | 720 |
| Utah | $92,780 | $96,520 | 170 |
| Virginia | $111,970 | $83,880 | 350 |
| Washington | $113,120 | $94,400 | 190 |
| West Virginia | $83,960 | $80,690 | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $94,270 | $85,870 | 280 |
| Wyoming | $100,040 | $99,940 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$127,450
700 jobsBoulder, CO
$123,680
620 jobsBaltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
$124,880
270 jobsOklahoma City, OK
$89,360
270 jobsAnchorage, AK
$95,600
260 jobsNew York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$172,010
260 jobsFort Collins-Loveland, CO
$112,630
250 jobsHouston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
$86,150
240 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do atmospheric and space scientists make?
The average is $106,110 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $99,070 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $51.01, and the median is $47.63 an hour.
Which state pays atmospheric and space scientists the most?
New York, with an average of $154,830 a year. The best-paying metro area is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $172,010.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $53,060 a year, and the top 10% earn over $161,890.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 19-2021. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.