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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

19-2011 Astronomers

Observe, research, and interpret astronomical phenomena to increase basic knowledge or apply such information to practical problems.


National estimates for Astronomers
Industry profile for Astronomers
Geographic profile for Astronomers

National estimates for Astronomers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Astronomers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
2,080 7.9 % $ 61.99 $ 128,940 2.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Astronomers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 27.17 $ 41.16 $ 61.50 $ 82.80 $ 88.22
Annual Wage (2) $ 56,500 $ 85,600 $ 127,930 $ 172,210 $ 183,500


Industry profile for Astronomers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Astronomers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Astronomers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Astronomers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,080 0.12 $ 67.13 $ 139,620
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 480 0.02 $ 76.22 $ 158,530
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 310 0.01 $ 47.67 $ 99,160

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Astronomers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,080 0.12 $ 67.13 $ 139,620
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 480 0.02 $ 76.22 $ 158,530
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 310 0.01 $ 47.67 $ 99,160

Top paying industries for Astronomers:

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) 480 0.02 $ 76.22 $ 158,530
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,080 0.12 $ 67.13 $ 139,620
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 310 0.01 $ 47.67 $ 99,160


Geographic profile for Astronomers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Astronomers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Astronomers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of astronomers by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Astronomers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maryland 710 0.26 19.26 $ 71.35 $ 148,400
Colorado 380 0.13 9.78 (8) (8)
California 220 0.01 0.89 $ 69.98 $ 145,560
Arizona 140 0.04 3.28 $ 57.84 $ 120,310
Hawaii 110 0.18 13.02 $ 49.98 $ 103,970


Map of location quotient of astronomers by state, May 2023


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Astronomers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maryland 710 0.26 19.26 $ 71.35 $ 148,400
Hawaii 110 0.18 13.02 $ 49.98 $ 103,970
Colorado 380 0.13 9.78 (8) (8)
Arizona 140 0.04 3.28 $ 57.84 $ 120,310
New Mexico 40 0.04 3.15 $ 45.62 $ 94,900


Map of annual mean wages of astronomers by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Astronomers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts 60 0.02 1.15 $ 75.97 $ 158,030
Maryland 710 0.26 19.26 $ 71.35 $ 148,400
California 220 0.01 0.89 $ 69.98 $ 145,560
Virginia (8) (8) (8) $ 60.69 $ 126,240
Arizona 140 0.04 3.28 $ 57.84 $ 120,310



Map of employment of astronomers by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Astronomers:

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 480 0.15 11.27 $ 69.96 $ 145,520
Boulder, CO 190 0.96 69.85 $ 70.95 $ 147,580
Charlottesville, VA 80 0.69 50.57 $ 54.73 $ 113,850
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 60 0.02 1.48 $ 75.76 $ 157,570


Map of location quotient of astronomers by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Astronomers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Boulder, CO 190 0.96 69.85 $ 70.95 $ 147,580
Charlottesville, VA 80 0.69 50.57 $ 54.73 $ 113,850
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 480 0.15 11.27 $ 69.96 $ 145,520
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 60 0.02 1.48 $ 75.76 $ 157,570


Map of annual mean wages of astronomers by area, May 2023


Top paying metropolitan areas for Astronomers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 60 0.02 1.48 $ 75.76 $ 157,570
Boulder, CO 190 0.96 69.85 $ 70.95 $ 147,580
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 480 0.15 11.27 $ 69.96 $ 145,520
Charlottesville, VA 80 0.69 50.57 $ 54.73 $ 113,850

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Astronomers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 80 0.83 60.71 $ 50.18 $ 104,360

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Astronomers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 80 0.83 60.71 $ 50.18 $ 104,360

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Astronomers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 80 0.83 60.71 $ 50.18 $ 104,360


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.

(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