Astronomers Career, Salary and Skills
Astronomers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $128,820 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 2,120. Wage data is published for 6 locations.
Occupation description
Observe, research, and interpret astronomical phenomena to increase basic knowledge or apply such information to practical problems.
O*NET code
19-2011.00
Job zone
5
Typical education
Doctoral Degree
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$128,820
Hourly median
$61.94
Employment
2,120
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.25 | 5.12 |
| Science | 4.25 | 5.12 |
| Writing | 4.12 | 5.00 |
| Mathematics | 4.12 | 5.00 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.12 | 4.12 |
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Active Learning | 4.00 | 4.88 |
| Speaking | 4.00 | 4.75 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.62 | 3.88 |
Typical tasks
- Present research findings at scientific conferences and in papers written for scientific journals.
- Study celestial phenomena, using a variety of ground-based and space-borne telescopes and scientific instruments.
- Collaborate with other astronomers to carry out research projects.
- Mentor graduate students and junior colleagues.
- Supervise students' research on celestial and astronomical phenomena.
- Teach astronomy or astrophysics.
- Develop theories based on personal observations or on observations and theories of other astronomers.
- Analyze research data to determine its significance, using computers.
Technology
- Abstraction plus reference plus synthesis A++
- Adaptive optics AO simulation software
- Analyze
- Apache Hadoop
- Astronomical Image Processing for Windows AIP4WIN
- Astronomical Image Processing System AIPS
- Astronomical information processing system AIPS++
- Avis Fits Viewer
- C
- C++
- Data reduction software
- Diffraction Limited MaxIm DL
- European Southern Observatory Munich Image Data Analysis System ESO-MIDAS
- Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
Astronomers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Astronomers Salary in MDMedian $132,620 · Employment 980
- Astronomers Salary in Washington, DCMedian $156,750 · Employment 520
- Astronomers Salary in CAMedian $123,540 · Employment 110
- Astronomers Salary in AZMedian $129,020 · Employment 100
- Astronomers Salary in HIMedian $102,000 · Employment 100
- Astronomers Salary in VAMedian $128,930 · Employment —
Related careers
- BiologistsNational median $98,920
- Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryNational median $79,940
- Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryNational median $109,270
- Environmental Science Teachers, PostsecondaryNational median $94,980
- ChemistsNational median $91,240
- HydrologistsNational median $96,600
- Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and TechniciansNational median $66,120
- Molecular and Cellular BiologistsNational median $98,920
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.