Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023
19-2021 Atmospheric and Space Scientists
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.
National estimates for Atmospheric and Space Scientists
Industry profile for Atmospheric and Space Scientists
Geographic profile for Atmospheric and Space Scientists
National estimates for Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 9,310 |
4.3 % |
$ 48.81 |
$ 101,530 |
1.2 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 23.54 |
$ 32.73 |
$ 44.65 |
$ 59.98 |
$ 75.60 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 48,960 |
$ 68,080 |
$ 92,860 |
$ 124,760 |
$ 157,250 |
Industry profile for Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Atmospheric and Space Scientists are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Atmospheric and Space Scientists, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) |
2,770 |
0.13 |
$ 54.89 |
$ 114,160 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services |
1,700 |
0.20 |
$ 31.96 |
$ 66,480 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools |
1,180 |
0.04 |
$ 46.26 |
$ 96,220 |
| Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations |
1,160 |
0.95 |
$ 47.67 |
$ 99,140 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
1,000 |
0.11 |
$ 58.32 |
$ 121,310 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations |
1,160 |
0.95 |
$ 47.67 |
$ 99,140 |
| Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers |
470 |
0.20 |
$ 44.41 |
$ 92,370 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services |
1,700 |
0.20 |
$ 31.96 |
$ 66,480 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) |
2,770 |
0.13 |
$ 54.89 |
$ 114,160 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
1,000 |
0.11 |
$ 58.32 |
$ 121,310 |
Top paying industries for Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
1,000 |
0.11 |
$ 58.32 |
$ 121,310 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services |
50 |
(7) |
$ 56.40 |
$ 117,300 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) |
2,770 |
0.13 |
$ 54.89 |
$ 114,160 |
| Telecommunications |
40 |
0.01 |
$ 54.76 |
$ 113,900 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
190 |
(7) |
$ 52.30 |
$ 108,780 |
Geographic profile for Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Atmospheric and Space Scientists are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Atmospheric and Space Scientists, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Colorado |
1,010 |
0.36 |
5.84 |
$ 52.23 |
$ 108,640 |
| Maryland |
740 |
0.28 |
4.52 |
$ 55.93 |
$ 116,340 |
| California |
710 |
0.04 |
0.64 |
$ 57.01 |
$ 118,580 |
| Florida |
590 |
0.06 |
1.00 |
$ 43.52 |
$ 90,510 |
| Texas |
560 |
0.04 |
0.68 |
$ 41.07 |
$ 85,420 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Alaska |
160 |
0.51 |
8.36 |
$ 47.46 |
$ 98,710 |
| Colorado |
1,010 |
0.36 |
5.84 |
$ 52.23 |
$ 108,640 |
| Maryland |
740 |
0.28 |
4.52 |
$ 55.93 |
$ 116,340 |
| South Dakota |
100 |
0.23 |
3.72 |
$ 41.00 |
$ 85,280 |
| Kansas |
250 |
0.18 |
2.87 |
$ 33.75 |
$ 70,210 |
Top paying states for Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| District of Columbia |
50 |
0.08 |
1.26 |
$ 63.29 |
$ 131,640 |
| Oregon |
100 |
0.05 |
0.87 |
$ 57.46 |
$ 119,510 |
| New Jersey |
100 |
0.02 |
0.38 |
$ 57.18 |
$ 118,930 |
| California |
710 |
0.04 |
0.64 |
$ 57.01 |
$ 118,580 |
| Maryland |
740 |
0.28 |
4.52 |
$ 55.93 |
$ 116,340 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
540 |
0.17 |
2.83 |
$ 61.14 |
$ 127,170 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
310 |
0.03 |
0.54 |
(8) |
(8) |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
310 |
0.05 |
0.82 |
$ 53.61 |
$ 111,500 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD |
280 |
0.22 |
3.55 |
$ 49.70 |
$ 103,380 |
| Fort Collins, CO |
230 |
1.32 |
21.46 |
$ 50.84 |
$ 105,750 |
| Oklahoma City, OK |
210 |
0.31 |
5.12 |
$ 45.48 |
$ 94,610 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
170 |
0.06 |
1.00 |
$ 43.42 |
$ 90,320 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
170 |
0.06 |
0.97 |
$ 45.55 |
$ 94,750 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS |
150 |
0.14 |
2.30 |
$ 45.50 |
$ 94,640 |
| Huntsville, AL |
140 |
0.58 |
9.43 |
$ 40.55 |
$ 84,340 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Fort Collins, CO |
230 |
1.32 |
21.46 |
$ 50.84 |
$ 105,750 |
| Anchorage, AK |
110 |
0.63 |
10.21 |
$ 46.61 |
$ 96,940 |
| Huntsville, AL |
140 |
0.58 |
9.43 |
$ 40.55 |
$ 84,340 |
| Rapid City, SD |
30 |
0.47 |
7.65 |
$ 42.26 |
$ 87,900 |
| Salinas, CA |
80 |
0.45 |
7.28 |
$ 66.25 |
$ 137,790 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
80 |
0.34 |
5.57 |
$ 46.06 |
$ 95,810 |
| Oklahoma City, OK |
210 |
0.31 |
5.12 |
$ 45.48 |
$ 94,610 |
| Wichita, KS |
90 |
0.30 |
4.90 |
$ 30.15 |
$ 62,700 |
| Madison, WI |
110 |
0.27 |
4.36 |
$ 50.07 |
$ 104,140 |
| Sioux Falls, SD |
40 |
0.25 |
4.13 |
$ 38.88 |
$ 80,860 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
110 |
0.05 |
0.74 |
$ 67.28 |
$ 139,950 |
| Salinas, CA |
80 |
0.45 |
7.28 |
$ 66.25 |
$ 137,790 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
540 |
0.17 |
2.83 |
$ 61.14 |
$ 127,170 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA |
60 |
0.05 |
0.80 |
$ 60.98 |
$ 126,830 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN |
40 |
0.04 |
0.62 |
$ 59.40 |
$ 123,560 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY |
70 |
0.16 |
2.64 |
$ 57.66 |
$ 119,930 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA |
30 |
0.03 |
0.51 |
$ 56.29 |
$ 117,080 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA |
50 |
0.03 |
0.56 |
$ 55.08 |
$ 114,560 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI |
70 |
0.15 |
2.42 |
$ 54.19 |
$ 112,710 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
310 |
0.05 |
0.82 |
$ 53.61 |
$ 111,500 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area |
40 |
0.11 |
1.72 |
$ 42.40 |
$ 88,200 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area |
40 |
0.11 |
1.72 |
$ 42.40 |
$ 88,200 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Atmospheric and Space Scientists:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area |
40 |
0.11 |
1.72 |
$ 42.40 |
$ 88,200 |
About May 2023 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.
The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall.
The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median.
More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours;
for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration.
A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024
United States Department of Labor
