Atmospheric and Space Scientists
Atmospheric and Space Scientists earn an average annual salary of $124,925, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. While facing some shifts, the field is adapting to changes in the job market. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only.
Key Statistics
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Atmospheric and Space Scientists workforce.
Employment Over Time
580 Workforce in 2023
The Atmospheric and Space Scientists workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$124,925 Average Wage
In 2023, Atmospheric and Space Scientists earned an average of $124,925.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Salary distribution for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Employment Growth Projections
-1.3% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
1,815 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -6.4%
1,698 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -12.5%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Atmospheric and Space Scientists and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Atmospheric and Space Scientists employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Wage Trends by Industry
5.8% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Total, All Industry: 1.1% growth (Current: $158,696)
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 390 employees, $125,407 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 220 employees, $116,460 avg wage
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 60 employees, $158,696 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 50 employees, $119,594 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 40 employees, $124,360 avg wage
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 20 employees, $140,587 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Diversity
Demographic information on Atmospheric and Space Scientists in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Atmospheric and Space Scientists in 2023 was 580 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
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 Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Atmospheric and Space Scientists in 2023 were Engineering, Biology, Chemistry.
Common majors for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Atmospheric and Space Scientists workers.
Education level distribution for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Skills
Atmospheric and Space Scientists need many skills, but most especially Reading Comprehension, Writing, Speaking, Science, Critical Thinking.
Required skills for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Atmospheric and Space Scientists include Physics, English Language, Geography, Mathematics, Computers and Electronics.
Knowledge areas required for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Atmospheric and Space Scientists include Written Comprehension, Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression, Written Expression, Speech Clarity.
Required abilities for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Daily Activities
Atmospheric and Space Scientists spend their time on activities such as Working with Computers, Getting Information, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Processing Information, Analyzing Data or Information.
Most important work activities for Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
About
Atmospheric and Space Scientists
The average yearly wage for Atmospheric and Space Scientists was $124,925 in 2023.
SOC Code
19-2021 - Atmospheric and Space Scientists
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Atmospheric and Space Scientists reports an average salary of $124,925, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 580 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -1.3%, 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.