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Atmospheric scientist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an atmospheric scientist. Atmospheric scientists usually study meteorology, physics, or biology. 59% of atmospheric scientists hold a bachelor's degree, and 30% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 37 real atmospheric scientist resumes to see exactly what atmospheric scientist education sections show.
The most common colleges for atmospheric scientists are the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
There are also many online atmospheric scientist courses to help get the education required to be an atmospheric scientist.
What education do you need to become an atmospheric scientist?
What degree do you need to be an atmospheric scientist?
- Bachelor's, 59%
- Doctorate, 30%
- Master's, 7%
- Associate, 4%
What should I major in to become an atmospheric scientist?
- Meteorology, 37%
- Physics, 17%
- Biology, 7%
- Soil Science, 7%
- Other Majors, 32%
Most common colleges for atmospheric scientists
| Atmospheric scientist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Georgia Institute of Technology | 13.04% |
| North Carolina State University | 8.70% |
| University of North Carolina at Asheville | 8.70% |
| University of the Sciences | 4.35% |
| DeVry University | 4.35% |
Best majors for atmospheric scientists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meteorology | 36.7% |
| 2 | Physics | 16.7% |
| 3 | Biology | 6.7% |
| 4 | Soil Science | 6.7% |
| 5 | Environmental Science | 3.3% |
Best colleges for atmospheric scientists
The best colleges for atmospheric scientists are University of Maryland - College Park, Princeton University, and University of Wisconsin - Madison.
An atmospheric scientist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for atmospheric scientists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become atmospheric scientists.
1. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
2. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
3. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
4. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
5. University of California - Davis
Davis, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,402
Enrollment
30,698
6. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
7. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
8. University of Delaware
Newark, DE • Private
In-state tuition
$13,680
Enrollment
19,060
9. Texas A&M University
College Station, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$11,870
Enrollment
53,194
10. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
20 best online courses for atmospheric scientists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for atmospheric scientists
The most affordable schools for atmospheric scientists are Brigham Young University, purdue university, and florida state university.
If the best universities for atmospheric scientists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for atmospheric scientists.
1. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
2. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
3. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
5. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
6. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
7. University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,400
Cost of attendance
19,777
8. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Cost of attendance
23,600
9. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Cost of attendance
24,514
10. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Cost of attendance
24,718
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for atmospheric scientists
The hardest universities for atmospheric scientists to get into are University of Maryland - College Park, Princeton University, and University of Wisconsin - Madison.
Some great schools for atmospheric scientists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for atmospheric scientists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,390
2. Princeton University
Princeton, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,503
3. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
1,365
4. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
Admissions rate
49%
SAT average
1,347
5. Clemson University
Clemson, SC • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,337
6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,309
9. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,336
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for atmospheric scientists
The easiest schools for atmospheric scientists to get into are University of the Incarnate Word, university of wyoming, and saint cloud state university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an atmospheric scientist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for atmospheric scientists.
1. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
2. University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,202
3. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
4. SUNY Maritime College
Throggs Neck, NY • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,176
5. Iowa State University of Science and Technology
Ames, IA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,219
6. University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, HI • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,155
7. Brigham Young University - Idaho
Rexburg, ID • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,140
8. University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,198
9. Washington State University
Pullman, WA • Private
Admissions rate
77%
SAT average
1,123
10. North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,170
Average atmospheric scientist salary by education level
| Atmospheric scientist education level | Atmospheric scientist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $113,564 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $100,070 |
| Doctorate Degree | $128,166 |
Atmospheric scientist education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025