Meteorologist demographics and statistics in the US
Meteorologist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates meteorologist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our meteorologist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about meteorologists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 4,470 meteorologists currently employed in the United States.
- 23.7% of all meteorologists are women, while 76.3% are men.
- The average meteorologist age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of meteorologists is White (73.9%), followed by Unknown (7.9%), Asian (7.3%) and Hispanic or Latino (6.7%).
- Meteorologists are most in-demand in Norman, OK.
- Chicago, IL pays an annual average wage of $100,809, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women meteorologists earned 95% of what men earned.
- Maine is the best state for meteorologists to live.
- Meteorologists are 64% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Meteorologist demographics by:
Meteorologist gender statistics
23.7% of meteorologists are women and 76.3% of meteorologists are men.
- Male, 76.3%
- Female, 23.7%
Meteorologist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 76.3% |
| Female | 23.7% |
Meteorologist gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$62,857
Female income
$59,752
Meteorologist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in meteorologist positions over time. Currently, 23.7% of meteorologists are female.
Meteorologist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 89.49% | 10.51% |
| 2011 | 87.68% | 12.32% |
| 2012 | 81.24% | 18.76% |
| 2013 | 89.38% | 10.62% |
| 2014 | 84.85% | 15.15% |
| 2015 | 86.39% | 13.61% |
| 2016 | 86.73% | 13.27% |
| 2017 | 81.46% | 18.54% |
| 2018 | 80.95% | 19.05% |
| 2019 | 79.66% | 20.34% |
| 2020 | 80.40% | 19.60% |
| 2021 | 76.25% | 23.75% |
Meteorologist related jobs gender ratio
We compared meteorologists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, seismologist and optical scientist have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Aerologist | 11% | 89% |
| Senior Advocate | 33% | 67% |
| Meteorologist | 76% | 24% |
| Remote Sensing Engineer | 91% | 9% |
| Optical Scientist | 91% | 9% |
| Seismologist | 94% | 6% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Meteorologist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among meteorologists is White, which makes up 73.9% of all meteorologists. Comparatively, 7.9% of meteorologists are Unknown and 7.3% of meteorologists are Asian.
- White, 73.9%
- Unknown, 7.9%
- Asian, 7.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 6.7%
- Black or African American, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Meteorologist race
| Meteorologist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 73.9% |
| Unknown | 7.9% |
| Asian | 7.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6.7% |
| Black or African American | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Meteorologist race and ethnicity over time
See how meteorologist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Meteorologist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 82.73% | 5.15% | 5.73% | 4.18% |
| 2011 | 80.64% | 2.79% | 6.42% | 8.13% |
| 2012 | 73.43% | 4.49% | 10.72% | 9.33% |
| 2013 | 77.60% | 3.66% | 7.45% | 5.26% |
| 2014 | 80.12% | 5.02% | 6.39% | 5.02% |
| 2015 | 73.54% | 4.46% | 9.84% | 6.86% |
| 2016 | 82.42% | 4.59% | 3.84% | 7.26% |
| 2017 | 78.11% | 4.22% | 4.06% | 10.15% |
| 2018 | 79.07% | 4.87% | 4.55% | 5.77% |
| 2019 | 81.09% | 4.89% | 4.87% | 6.10% |
| 2020 | 78.05% | 3.83% | 5.26% | 9.81% |
| 2021 | 73.85% | 3.74% | 7.29% | 6.71% |
Meteorologist wage gap by race
According to our data, white meteorologists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american meteorologists have the lowest average salary at $59,460.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $63,909 |
| White | $64,435 |
| Black or African American | $59,460 |
| Asian | $64,400 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $62,226 |
Meteorologist age breakdown
The average age of meteorologists is 40+ years years old, representing 43% of the meteorologist population.
Meteorologist age breakdown
| Meteorologist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 43% |
| 30-40 years | 38% |
| 20-30 years | 19% |
Meteorologist educational attainment
The most common degree for meteorologists is bachelor's degree, with 76% of meteorologists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 76%
- Master's, 11%
- Associate, 8%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Meteorologists by degree level
| Meteorologist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 76% |
| Master's | 11% |
| Associate | 8% |
| High School Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Meteorologist jobs you might like
Meteorologist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, meteorologists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $80,957 annually. With a Master's degree, meteorologists earn a median annual income of $69,722 compared to $59,638 for meteorologists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $69,722 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $59,638 |
| Doctorate Degree | $80,957 |
Meteorologist employment statistics
Most meteorologists work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where meteorologists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where meteorologists work.
Meteorologist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 31% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
Meteorologist jobs by company type
Employees with the meteorologist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most meteorologists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Meteorologist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 19% |
| Private | 64% |
| Government | 11% |
Meteorologist jobs by industry
The most common industries for meteorologists are media, government and technology.
Meteorologist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 40% |
| Government | 9% |
| Technology | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Education | 5% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Meteorologist turnover and employment statistics
Meteorologist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for meteorologists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Meteorologist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Meteorologist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.21% |
| 2011 | 2.48% |
| 2012 | 2.61% |
| 2013 | 5.13% |
| 2014 | 2.61% |
| 2015 | 1.90% |
| 2016 | 2.31% |
| 2017 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 1.45% |
| 2020 | 0.00% |
| 2021 | 1.10% |
Average meteorologist tenure
The average meteorologist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,637 meteorologists resumes in Zippia's database.
Meteorologist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 14% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Meteorologist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of meteorologists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Mine Geologist | 4.45% | 924 |
| Cosmetic Chemist | 5.26% | 7,556 |
| Weather Algorithm Scientist | 8.32% | 41,471 |
| Meteorologist | 11.89% | - |
| Environmental Protection Specialist | 15.61% | 26,135 |
Similar meteorologist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Mine Geologist | 4.45% | 924 |
| Cosmetic Chemist | 5.26% | 7,556 |
| Weather Algorithm Scientist | 8.32% | 41,471 |
| Environmental Protection Specialist | 15.61% | 26,135 |
Foreign languages spoken by meteorologists
The most common foreign language among meteorologists is Spanish at 43.6%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 17.9% and Italian is the third-most popular at 7.7%.
- Spanish, 43.6%
- French, 17.9%
- Italian, 7.7%
- Chinese, 5.1%
- German, 5.1%
- Other, 20.6%
Meteorologist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 43.6% |
| French | 17.9% |
| Italian | 7.7% |
| Chinese | 5.1% |
| German | 5.1% |
| Other | 20.6% |
