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Job outlook for atmospheric scientists in the United States
Are atmospheric scientist jobs in demand?
Atmospheric scientist job and salary trends over time
Atmospheric scientist jobs over time
Atmospheric scientist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 89 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 107 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 97 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 97 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 93 | 0.00% |
Average atmospheric scientist salary over time
Atmospheric scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $112,366 | $54.02 | +4.6% |
| 2025 | $107,454 | $51.66 | +1.3% |
| 2024 | $106,023 | $50.97 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | $103,725 | $49.87 | --0.4% |
| 2022 | $104,164 | $50.08 | +2.9% |
Atmospheric scientist jobs by state
Most common states for atmospheric scientists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 830 | 14% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 129 | 13% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,038 | 12% |
| 4 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 108 | 12% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 80 | 11% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 70 | 11% |
| 7 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 912 | 10% |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 656 | 10% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 136 | 10% |
| 10 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 59 | 10% |
| 11 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 99 | 9% |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 93 | 9% |
| 13 | Alaska | 739,795 | 70 | 9% |
| 14 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 842 | 8% |
| 15 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 270 | 8% |
| 16 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 162 | 8% |
| 17 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 101 | 8% |
| 18 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 57 | 8% |
| 19 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 217 | 7% |
| 20 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 119 | 7% |
Most common cities for atmospheric scientists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $107,288 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $127,190 |
Atmospheric Scientist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of atmospheric scientist experts
Florida Institute of Technology
Quinnipiac University
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Doverspike Consulting/HR LItehouse
Robert Morris University
Tiffin University
What Atmospheric Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mr. Michael Splitt: Skills in computing will be essential for many meteorology career pathways and include the ever growing influence of machine learning and artificial intelligence. The use of Python programming has exploded in the atmospheric sciences, in particular. Skills in communication, which ranges anywhere from working with team members to providing graphics that communicate an idea, may also grow in importance in the modern age of social media.
What will help Atmospheric Scientists increase their earning potential?
Mr. Michael Splitt: Meteorology has many different career pathways and the advice would need to be somewhat different for someone going into broadcast meteorology, operational meteorology, or research (as examples). That said, being flexible, no matter which track you are in, will be beneficial. Be reliable! Be willing to take on new tasks and responsibilities.
Lisa Cuchara Ph.D.
Professor of Biomedical SciencesQuinnipiac University
Microbiological Sciences And Immunology
What Atmospheric Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Lisa Cuchara Ph.D.: The first and foremost would be Critical Thinking. We live in a world where facts can be easily acquired, sometimes even by asking Siri/Alexa/ChatGPT/Google/etc. But critical thinking is timeless and priceless. I can ask anyone on the street what xyz is and they can look it up, but can they provide advice or interpret.
Also being a good steward towards science and being willing and able to communicate not just with peers as we are trained, but also with the public, the politicians, the board members. John Holdren*, stated that Scientists should be tithing at least 10 percent of their time to public service ... including activism. In the ever growing science denialism that is happening in our country being able to communicate science with the public is important. As Peter Hotaz states, "Anti-science propaganda is "killing Americans in unprecedented numbers,""
*Holdren is an American scientist who served as the senior advisor to President Barack Obama on science and technology issues through his roles as assistant to the president for science and technology, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and a Research Professor in Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government
Uma Bhatt
Professor of Atmospheric Sciences & Geophysical Institute, Associate Director of Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem StudiesUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks
Department of Atmospheric Sciences
What skills stand out on Atmospheric Scientist resumes?
Uma Bhatt: The skills that stand out for all of our graduates are the ability to be a data scientist of weather/climate data and to be able to add interpretation to that data.
Now for those students who want to work as forecasters, then the ability to synthesize information into a forecast for what will happen over the next few days is critical. The students who are more interested in climate (2 weeks and longer scales out to decades) need to synthesize information across many different disciplines because many parts of the earth system are involved in seasonal and longer time outlooks.
What soft skills should all Atmospheric Scientists possess?
Uma Bhatt: The ability to work in a team and contribute in this environment is critical. This means being dependable if you are expected to contribute something to the ‘end product.’ It also means the ability to communicate clearly (i.e., speak up when you don't understand something, be comfortable with what you do and do not know, give constructive comments, and take criticism).
The most important thing is that ‘it is not about you,’ but rather about the problem people are solving together.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Atmospheric Scientists?
Uma Bhatt: Important skills include math, statistics, computer data science, reading and synthesizing information, logical/critical thinking, and writing clearly.
What skills will help Atmospheric Scientists earn the most?
Uma Bhatt: I am told GIS skills are a boost for meteorologists at entry-level pay grades. I have heard this from students who have recently looked for jobs, so it may be prone to small samples.
People skills and ability to present well (i.e., being knowledgeable and communicating that clearly).
What type of skills will young Atmospheric Scientists need?
Dennis Doverspike Ph.D.: Seemingly a paradox, there will continue to be a need for very general, but highly fungible, skills and demand for too specialized skills, requiring advanced education. Coding, statistics, and data analysis related skills will remain a hot growth area. The aging of the baby boomers will create demand for medical and healthcare-related regions, especially nursing, nursing aides, and emergency services. Despite the automation of many people facing jobs, there will continue to be a demand for interpersonal and people skills, including various types of sales. The switch to remote work, due to COVID, will create a substantial future market to fill the leadership and managerial skills gap. In many areas of Technology and engineering, it is already challenging to find a combination of technical knowledge and people skills, and this demand will intensify.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Atmospheric Scientists to find work opportunities?
Dennis Doverspike Ph.D.: Not sure if this question meant geographic locations or industries. I will assume it means geographic areas. Both government and the health care industries will continue to grow, along with a decline in traditional manufacturing, so this will increase jobs around Washington, DC, state capitals, and large regional medical centers. It is harder to predict the impact of COVID and remote work on our cities, especially those located in high housing cost areas and on the coasts. Nevertheless, the movement to remote work and small education continues to expand, making it more and more accurate that choosing where to live will depend upon personal preferences. Thus, location will become less of a factor in work decisions and be driven more by family and leisure choices. One exception might be the aging of the baby boomers. If we see more and more Villages created, then those communities for older individuals will need service staff living in the area to provide personalized medical care, along with a range of recreational and entertainment options.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Atmospheric Scientists in the next 5 years?
Paul Badger Ph.D.: The demand for skilled research scientists in the healthcare industry or related industries will almost certainly grow in the next five years. There is nearly always a need for entry-level positions, such as laboratory scientists or medical laboratory technicians. The recent increase in pressures placed on the health care sector will likely lead to more hiring as testing facilities, and analytical labs are expanded.
Sami Mejri Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Science, Assistant Dean, Graduate ProgramsTiffin University
School of Arts & Sciences
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Atmospheric Scientists to find work opportunities?
Sami Mejri Ph.D.: With the rising cost of living, a college graduate's ideal first job may not be in their home state or favorite vacation town. According to Business Insider, MidWestern cities like Columbus-Ohio, Cincinnati-Ohio, Madison-Wisconsin, Milwaukee-Wisconsin, and Indianapolis-Indiana were some of the best geographical areas to live for college graduates. The cost of living in these Midwestern states remains relatively lower than coastal areas, making these locations ideal for college graduates entering the workforce. However, college graduates with degrees in healthcare, computer science, and data analytics may not be limited to these geographical areas, given employers' incentives to these in-demand jobs.