Atmospheric and Space Scientists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for atmospheric and space scientistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- New York$154,830
- Illinois$147,860
- District of Columbia$143,270
- California$127,330
- Maryland$127,180
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- New Hampshire$52,790
- Nebraska$83,250
- West Virginia$83,960
- Oklahoma$86,130
- Texas$86,470
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $154,830 | $117,540 | $74 | +45.9% | 370 |
| 2 | Illinois | $147,860 | $112,280 | $71 | +39.3% | 110 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $143,270 | $103,860 | $69 | +35% | 70 |
| 4 | California | $127,330 | $124,920 | $61 | +20% | 510 |
| 5 | Maryland | $127,180 | $128,800 | $61 | +19.9% | 750 |
| 6 | Indiana | $125,410 | $103,680 | $60 | +18.2% | 80 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $124,250 | $120,180 | $60 | +17.1% | 60 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $121,740 | $121,010 | $59 | +14.7% | 70 |
| 9 | Nevada | $121,680 | $109,300 | $59 | +14.7% | 120 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $119,440 | $108,050 | $57 | +12.6% | — |
| 11 | Connecticut | $116,270 | $85,110 | $56 | +9.6% | 50 |
| 12 | Colorado | $115,630 | $104,670 | $56 | +9% | 1,150 |
| 13 | Florida | $114,740 | $115,960 | $55 | +8.1% | 270 |
| 14 | Idaho | $113,340 | $119,430 | $54 | +6.8% | 50 |
| 15 | Washington | $113,120 | $94,400 | $54 | +6.6% | 190 |
| 16 | Arizona | $112,930 | $115,020 | $54 | +6.4% | 80 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $112,920 | $110,070 | $54 | +6.4% | 60 |
| 18 | Virginia | $111,970 | $83,880 | $54 | +5.5% | 350 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $111,820 | $106,270 | $54 | +5.4% | 50 |
| 20 | Oregon | $111,370 | $112,260 | $54 | +5% | 100 |
| 21 | Missouri | $108,510 | $114,230 | $52 | +2.3% | 160 |
| 22 | Kansas | $107,280 | $109,300 | $52 | +1.1% | 80 |
| 23 | Michigan | $106,510 | $103,210 | $51 | +0.4% | 150 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $106,230 | $103,240 | $51 | +0.1% | 100 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $104,300 | $96,190 | $50 | -1.7% | 230 |
| 26 | Maine | $103,910 | $103,710 | $50 | -2.1% | 50 |
| 27 | Montana | $102,700 | $108,890 | $49 | -3.2% | 70 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $102,230 | $97,470 | $49 | -3.7% | 70 |
| 29 | Georgia | $101,890 | $96,820 | $49 | -4% | 170 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $100,040 | $99,940 | $48 | -5.7% | 40 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $97,040 | $71,940 | $47 | -8.5% | — |
| 32 | Ohio | $96,920 | $78,580 | $47 | -8.7% | 160 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $94,450 | $91,560 | $45 | -11% | 40 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $94,270 | $85,870 | $45 | -11.2% | 280 |
| 35 | Alabama | $93,820 | $81,080 | $45 | -11.6% | 340 |
| 36 | Alaska | $93,570 | $94,380 | $45 | -11.8% | — |
| 37 | South Carolina | $93,390 | $82,240 | $45 | -12% | 150 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $93,080 | $91,560 | $45 | -12.3% | 170 |
| 39 | Utah | $92,780 | $96,520 | $45 | -12.6% | 170 |
| 40 | Iowa | $89,160 | $76,850 | $43 | -16% | 100 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $89,140 | $78,900 | $43 | -16% | 130 |
| 42 | Pennsylvania | $88,930 | $75,890 | $43 | -16.2% | 160 |
| 43 | Texas | $86,470 | $84,990 | $42 | -18.5% | 720 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $86,130 | $76,480 | $41 | -18.8% | 420 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $83,960 | $80,690 | $40 | -20.9% | 40 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $83,250 | $60,540 | $40 | -21.5% | 160 |
| 47 | New Hampshire | $52,790 | $42,820 | $25 | -50.2% | 130 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 56 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $151,000 | $164,020 | 30 |
| 2 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $134,060 | $130,860 | 70 |
| 3 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $133,490 | $182,890 | 50 |
| 4 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $128,800 | $124,880 | 270 |
| 5 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $128,790 | $172,010 | 260 |
| 6 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $127,070 | $126,280 | 40 |
| 7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $125,590 | $117,720 | 30 |
| 8 | Boise City, ID | $122,930 | $114,210 | 30 |
| 9 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $122,880 | $123,060 | 70 |
| 10 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $122,700 | $120,280 | 110 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing atmospheric and space scientistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utilities | $134,440 | $128,020 | 40 |
| 2 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $134,440 | $128,020 | 40 |
| 3 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $127,960 | $131,140 | 1,110 |
| 4 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $127,960 | $130,590 | — |
| 5 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $127,660 | $121,480 | 40 |
| 6 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $122,700 | $123,660 | 2,590 |
| 7 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $122,700 | $123,660 | 2,590 |
| 8 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $120,580 | $122,180 | 2,920 |
| 9 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $120,580 | $122,180 | 2,920 |
| 10 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $116,680 | $118,620 | 180 |
| 11 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $115,210 | $117,640 | 4,070 |
| 12 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $111,790 | $118,250 | 180 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do atmospheric and space scientists make in the U.S.?
The median atmospheric and space scientists salary in the United States is $99,070 per year (mean $106,110), and about 80% earn between $53,060 and $161,890.
How much do atmospheric and space scientists make per hour?
Roughly $51 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $106,110 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays atmospheric and space scientists the most?
New York has the highest average pay for atmospheric and space scientists at $154,830 per year (median $117,540).
What is the job outlook for atmospheric and space scientists?
Employment is projected to change +0.7% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 700 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.