Astronomers Salary: $145,510 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 1,560 astronomers nationally earn a mean of $145,510. Employment in the series shown fell about 23% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 5.6% annual growth.
Key Statistics
Astronomers: what the data shows
Common questions about astronomers careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a astronomers?
Astronomers is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 19-2011.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 1,560 workers.
What does a astronomers do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Working with Computers, Analyzing Data or Information, Getting Information, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Thinking Creatively, Processing Information, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a astronomers make?
BLS national median annual wage: $132,170 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $145,510 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $80,058 |
| 25th percentile | $99,657 |
| Median (50th) | $145,921 |
| 75th percentile | $189,894 |
| 90th percentile | $203,915 |
What education do you need?
For Astronomers, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Science, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Active Learning, Mathematics, Active Listening, and knowledge areas including Mathematics, Physics, Computers and Electronics, English Language. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is astronomers in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 5.6% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 31.0%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 71.7%.
Current U.S. headcount: 1,560.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do astronomerss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 1,560 | 15.8% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 850 | 8.6% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 720 | 7.3% |
| Educational Services | 710 | 7.2% |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 710 | 7.2% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 660 | 6.7% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Astronomers in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Astronomers workforce.
Employment Over Time
1,560 Workforce in 2023
The Astronomers workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Astronomers.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$145,510 Average Wage
In 2023, Astronomers earned an average of $145,510.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Astronomers.
Salary distribution for Astronomers.
Employment Growth Projections
5.6% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
471 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 31.0%
618 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 71.7%
This occupation is projected to grow at 5.6% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Astronomers.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Astronomers and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Astronomers employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Astronomers.
Wage Trends by Industry
-3.0% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Total, All Industry: -3.0% growth (Current: $145,510)
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Astronomers.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Astronomers.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- MD: 570 employees, $153,000 avg wage
- CA: 170 employees, $141,660 avg wage
- HI: 140 employees, $98,800 avg wage
- AZ: 90 employees, $131,990 avg wage
- MA: 70 employees, $156,870 avg wage
- WA: 40 employees, $117,600 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Astronomers.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 440 employees, $152,320 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 60 employees, $156,330 avg wage
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: 40 employees, $114,530 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Astronomers.
Diversity
Demographic information on Astronomers in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Astronomers in 2023 was 1,560 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Astronomers.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Astronomers.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Astronomers.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Astronomers in 2023 were Business Administration, Engineering, Business.
Common majors for Astronomers.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Astronomers workers.
Education level distribution for Astronomers.
Skills
Astronomers need many skills, but most especially Science, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Active Learning, Mathematics.
Required skills for Astronomers.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Astronomers.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Astronomers include Mathematics, Physics, Computers and Electronics, English Language, Engineering and Technology.
Knowledge areas required for Astronomers.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Astronomers include Inductive Reasoning, Oral Expression, Deductive Reasoning, Mathematical Reasoning, Number Facility.
Required abilities for Astronomers.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Astronomers.
Daily Activities
Astronomers spend their time on activities such as Working with Computers, Analyzing Data or Information, Getting Information, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Thinking Creatively.
Most important work activities for Astronomers.
About
Astronomers
The average yearly wage for Astronomers was $145,510 in 2023.
SOC Code
19-2011 - Astronomers
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Astronomers reports an average salary of $145,510, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 1,560 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 5.6%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.