Atmospheric and Space Scientists Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 19-2021 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$99,070
$47.63/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Atmospheric and Space Scientists is $99,070 per year ($47.63/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $73,341 and $129,958 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $161,886 per year. There are approximately 10,000 atmospheric and space scientists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Investigate atmospheric phenomena and interpret meteorological data, gathered by surface and air stations, satellites, and radar to prepare reports and forecasts for public and other uses. Includes weather analysts and forecasters whose functions require the detailed knowledge of meteorology.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+0.7%
Little or no change
Annual openings
700
per year, on avg
Workforce today
9K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
1% from new growth99% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
3K
$122,700
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
NAICS 541900
2K
$78,610
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
1K
$103,970
Scientific Research and Development Services
NAICS 541700
1K
$127,960
Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations
NAICS 516100
1K
$77,990
Wage range across top 5 industries: $77,990 to $127,960 (64% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$25.51
$53,061
P25
$35.26
$73,341
P50MEDIAN
$47.63
$99,070
P75
$62.48
$129,958
P90
$77.83
$161,886
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · professional sector
Cooling
Openings Rate
4.2%
Quits Rate
2.0%
Professional & Business Services openings tumbled 318K in March -- the largest single-sector drop in this release. Openings rate fell from 5.5% to 4.2%. Layoffs jumped to 527K (+99K). White-collar demand has cooled abruptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average atmospheric and space scientists salary?
The national median salary for Atmospheric and Space Scientists is $99,070 per year ($47.63/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $73,341 and $129,958 annually.
How much do top-earning atmospheric and space scientists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Atmospheric and Space Scientists is $161,886 per year ($77.83/hr). The 75th percentile is $129,958 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for atmospheric and space scientists?
Entry-level Atmospheric and Space Scientists (10th percentile) earn approximately $53,061 per year ($25.51/hr). The 25th percentile is $73,341 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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