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The differences between meteorologists and weather forecasters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a meteorologist has an average salary of $68,815, which is higher than the $64,204 average annual salary of a weather forecaster.
The top three skills for a meteorologist include doppler, remote sensing and satellite imagery. The most important skills for a weather forecaster are DOD, weather warnings, and computer system.
| Meteorologist | Weather Forecaster | |
| Yearly salary | $68,815 | $64,204 |
| Hourly rate | $33.08 | $30.87 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 6,214 | 427 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Meteorologists and weather forecasters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Meteorologist | Weather Forecaster | |
| Average salary | $68,815 | $64,204 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $114,000 | Between $36,000 And $114,000 |
| Highest paying City | Chicago, IL | - |
| Highest paying state | Illinois | - |
| Best paying company | Univision Communications | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a meteorologist and a weather forecaster in terms of educational background:
| Meteorologist | Weather Forecaster | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Meteorology | Meteorology |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | SUNY Stony Brook |
Here are the differences between meteorologists' and weather forecasters' demographics:
| Meteorologist | Weather Forecaster | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.3% Female, 23.7% | Male, 70.9% Female, 29.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 7.9% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 7.3% White, 73.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 7.8% Hispanic or Latino, 6.6% Asian, 7.1% White, 74.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |