Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Atmospheric scientist salary
Average atmospheric scientist salary
$112,366
Understanding Atmospheric Scientist Salaries
The average salary for an atmospheric scientist is approximately $112,366 per year, translating to about $54 per hour. Salaries in this field can vary significantly based on experience, education, and geographical location. For instance, atmospheric scientists with advanced degrees or specialized skills often command higher salaries.
Salary by State
Some states offer higher compensation due to demand and cost of living. For example, California and New York are known for higher salary ranges, reflecting their substantial investment in research and environmental agencies.
Career Opportunities
Atmospheric scientists can find roles in various sectors including government agencies, private industry, and academia. As climate change continues to be a pressing issue, the need for expertise in atmospheric sciences is likely to grow, offering job stability and opportunities for advancement.
Let Zippia find your next atmospheric scientist job
Let Zippia find your next atmospheric scientist job
Where can an Atmospheric Scientist earn more?
Atmospheric scientist salary estimates from across the web
Average atmospheric scientist salary by state
The average atmospheric scientist salary in Washington, Idaho, and Maine are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average atmospheric scientist salary states are Arizona, North Carolina, and Minnesota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for atmospheric scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | $132,001 | $63.46 |
| 2 | Maine | $130,089 | $62.54 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $127,971 | $61.52 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $119,190 | $57.30 |
| 5 | Alaska | $126,449 | $60.79 |
| 6 | Utah | $126,136 | $60.64 |
| 7 | Washington | $135,628 | $65.21 |
| 8 | Indiana | $126,941 | $61.03 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $116,884 | $56.19 |
| 10 | New York | $114,815 | $55.20 |
| 11 | Missouri | $117,385 | $56.44 |
| 12 | Maryland | $111,842 | $53.77 |
| 13 | California | $127,937 | $61.51 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $120,096 | $57.74 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $111,986 | $53.84 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $116,608 | $56.06 |
| 17 | Michigan | $114,702 | $55.15 |
| 18 | Montana | $110,494 | $53.12 |
| 19 | Texas | $115,001 | $55.29 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $107,562 | $51.71 |
| 21 | Ohio | $111,638 | $53.67 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $111,337 | $53.53 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $112,832 | $54.25 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $110,301 | $53.03 |
| 25 | Georgia | $111,884 | $53.79 |
| 26 | Arkansas | $111,313 | $53.52 |
| 27 | Oregon | $106,965 | $51.43 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $109,836 | $52.81 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $95,384 | $45.86 |
| 30 | Colorado | $107,749 | $51.80 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $94,121 | $45.25 |
| 32 | Rhode Island | $94,477 | $45.42 |
| 33 | Delaware | $93,230 | $44.82 |
| 34 | Vermont | $93,062 | $44.74 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $110,020 | $52.89 |
| 36 | Nevada | $97,037 | $46.65 |
| 37 | Connecticut | $94,126 | $45.25 |
| 38 | Massachusetts | $94,468 | $45.42 |
| 39 | Pennsylvania | $87,449 | $42.04 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $85,538 | $41.12 |
| 41 | Virginia | $86,913 | $41.79 |
| 42 | Florida | $93,740 | $45.07 |
| 43 | Illinois | $91,198 | $43.85 |
| 44 | Kansas | $88,734 | $42.66 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $81,800 | $39.33 |
| 46 | Iowa | $89,834 | $43.19 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $58,174 | $27.97 |
| 48 | District of Columbia | $92,817 | $44.62 |
| 49 | Arizona | $86,788 | $41.73 |
| 50 | Minnesota | $84,080 | $40.42 |
| 51 | Alabama | $83,799 | $40.29 |
Highest paying cities for atmospheric scientists
The highest-paying cities for atmospheric scientists are Richland, WA, Petaluma, CA, and Ellicott City, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richland, WA | $135,631 | $65.21 |
| 2 | Petaluma, CA | $133,749 | $64.30 |
| 3 | Ellicott City, MD | $112,219 | $53.95 |
| 4 | Boulder, CO | $107,100 | $51.49 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $94,510 | $45.44 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $92,873 | $44.65 |
| 7 | Arlington, VA | $87,137 | $41.89 |
| 8 | Pittsburgh, PA | $86,651 | $41.66 |
Atmospheric scientist salary details
An atmospheric scientist's salary ranges from $74,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $169,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an atmospheric scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $169,000 | $14,083 | $81 |
| 75th Percentile | $139,000 | $11,583 | $67 |
| Average | $112,366 | $9,364 | $54 |
| 25th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
| 10th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
Highest paying atmospheric scientist jobs
The highest paying types of atmospheric scientists are scientist, staff scientist, and meteorologist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Service Technician | $30,862 | $2,572 | $14.84 | 83,697 |
| Environmental Technician | $39,690 | $3,308 | $19.08 | 43,079 |
| Meteorologist | $68,815 | $5,735 | $33.08 | 6,214 |
| Environmental Scientist | $60,208 | $5,017 | $28.95 | 56,425 |
| Scientist | $97,344 | $8,112 | $46.80 | 62,467 |
| Staff Scientist | $93,941 | $7,828 | $45.16 | 121,054 |
Top companies hiring atmospheric scientists now:
Which companies pay atmospheric scientists the most?
Atmospheric scientist salaries at Sonoma Technology, Inc. and AIR Worldwide are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average atmospheric scientist salary at companies like SAIC and Vaisala are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sonoma Technology, Inc. | $135,063 | $64.93 |
| 2 | AIR Worldwide | $123,207 | $59.23 |
| 3 | SAIC | $122,165 | $58.73 |
| 4 | Vaisala | $121,689 | $58.50 |
| 5 | Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research | $120,715 | $58.04 |
| 6 | Science Systems and Applications | $119,335 | $57.37 |
| 7 | Ecs Federal | $118,498 | $56.97 |
| 8 | Battelle | $115,221 | $55.39 |
| 9 | Tomorrow.io | $114,885 | $55.23 |
| 10 | Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance | $114,561 | $55.08 |
| 11 | Berkshire Hathaway | $112,963 | $54.31 |
| 12 | Clario | $112,211 | $53.95 |
| 13 | Brookhaven National Laboratory | $111,615 | $53.66 |
| 14 | Verisk Analytics | $110,870 | $53.30 |
| 15 | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | $109,453 | $52.62 |
| 16 | Wyle | $109,154 | $52.48 |
| 17 | UChicago Argonne | $105,087 | $50.52 |
| 18 | I.M. Systems Group | $101,033 | $48.57 |
| 19 | University of California-Berkeley | $97,852 | $47.04 |
| 20 | Howard University | $96,354 | $46.32 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Atmospheric scientist salary trends
The average atmospheric scientist salary has risen by $11,210 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average atmospheric scientist earned $101,156 annually, but today, they earn $112,366 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for atmospheric scientists over the last decade.
Compare atmospheric scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average atmospheric scientist salary over time
Compare atmospheric scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Atmospheric scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $112,000 | $54.02 | +4.4% |
| 2024 | $107,000 | $51.66 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $106,000 | $50.97 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $104,000 | $49.87 | -0.4% |
| 2021 | $104,000 | $50.08 | +2.9% |
Recently added atmospheric scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gridmatic | Atmospheric Scientist | Cupertino, CA | 06/29/2025 | $180,000 |
| GE Aerospace | Scientist-Climate/Atmospheric Modeling | Boston, MA | 06/28/2025 | $142,100 |
| Rainmaker Technology Corporation | Senior Atmospheric Scientist-Convection | El Segundo, CA | 05/22/2025 | $90,000 |
| Reflective | Atmospheric Scientist | San Francisco, CA | 05/22/2025 | $130,000 |
| Gridmatic | Atmospheric Scientist | Cupertino, CA | 05/10/2025 | $180,000 |
| Ramboll | Consultant, Atmospheric Scientist | Fort Collins, CO | 04/28/2025 | $68,730 |
| The Aerospace | 2025 Atmospheric Lidar Scientist | El Segundo, CA | 03/28/2025 | $110,000 |
| The Aerospace | 2025 Atmospheric Lidar Scientist | El Segundo, CA | 02/28/2025 | $110,000 |
| CPP Inc. | Atmospheric Scientist | Boone, CO | 02/19/2025 | $65,000 |
| Eaglerockanalytics | Senior Atmospheric or Climate Scientist | Remote | | | Sacramento, CA | 02/16/2025 | $105,000 |
Atmospheric scientist salary FAQs
Search for atmospheric scientist jobs