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Meteorologist salary
Average meteorologist salary
$68,815
Understanding Meteorologist Salaries
Meteorologists play a crucial role in society by predicting weather patterns and providing critical information that affects daily life. As of October 2025, the average salary for a meteorologist is $68,815 annually. This figure can vary widely depending on factors such as experience, education, and location.
Salary Variability by State
In some states, meteorologists can earn significantly more. For example, states like California and Texas report higher salaries due to their demand for weather forecasting in agriculture and disaster management. Moreover, regions prone to extreme weather events often offer higher compensation to attract skilled professionals.
Career Opportunities
Career paths for meteorologists extend beyond traditional roles in broadcasting and government. Many find positions in private sectors, including consulting firms, energy companies, and environmental organizations. The evolving field of climate science also opens doors for specialized meteorologists focused on climate change analysis.
Job Outlook
As the climate continues to change, the need for professional meteorologists is expected to grow. This trend indicates a promising future for those entering this field, providing numerous job opportunities across various sectors.
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Where can a Meteorologist earn more?
Meteorologist salary estimates from across the web
Average meteorologist salary by state
The average meteorologist salary in Illinois, Maine, and Alaska are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average meteorologist salary states are Kansas, Minnesota, and North Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for meteorologists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $96,760 | $46.52 |
| 2 | Alaska | $95,456 | $45.89 |
| 3 | Illinois | $100,310 | $48.23 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $87,906 | $42.26 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $79,102 | $38.03 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $78,088 | $37.54 |
| 7 | Idaho | $84,636 | $40.69 |
| 8 | Indiana | $86,379 | $41.53 |
| 9 | California | $87,251 | $41.95 |
| 10 | Ohio | $78,469 | $37.73 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $75,982 | $36.53 |
| 12 | Maryland | $90,006 | $43.27 |
| 13 | Michigan | $81,778 | $39.32 |
| 14 | Kentucky | $72,093 | $34.66 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $85,049 | $40.89 |
| 16 | Montana | $70,796 | $34.04 |
| 17 | Utah | $79,054 | $38.01 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $75,085 | $36.10 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $76,442 | $36.75 |
| 20 | Missouri | $76,300 | $36.68 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $70,607 | $33.95 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $69,983 | $33.65 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $70,853 | $34.06 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $70,102 | $33.70 |
| 25 | Arkansas | $69,055 | $33.20 |
| 26 | Texas | $71,856 | $34.55 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $70,298 | $33.80 |
| 28 | Colorado | $72,219 | $34.72 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $70,157 | $33.73 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $69,531 | $33.43 |
| 31 | Vermont | $67,936 | $32.66 |
| 32 | District of Columbia | $67,731 | $32.56 |
| 33 | Nevada | $65,164 | $31.33 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $69,476 | $33.40 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $71,457 | $34.35 |
| 36 | Oregon | $69,630 | $33.48 |
| 37 | Georgia | $69,465 | $33.40 |
| 38 | Florida | $60,535 | $29.10 |
| 39 | New York | $71,505 | $34.38 |
| 40 | Washington | $58,258 | $28.01 |
| 41 | Delaware | $69,138 | $33.24 |
| 42 | Iowa | $59,409 | $28.56 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $52,789 | $25.38 |
| 44 | Virginia | $61,737 | $29.68 |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $59,957 | $28.83 |
| 46 | Arizona | $58,899 | $28.32 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $54,462 | $26.18 |
| 48 | Kansas | $57,119 | $27.46 |
| 49 | Minnesota | $56,357 | $27.09 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $56,318 | $27.08 |
| 51 | Alabama | $51,936 | $24.97 |
Highest paying cities for meteorologists
The highest-paying cities for meteorologists are Chicago, IL, Portland, ME, and San Francisco, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $100,809 | $48.47 |
| 2 | Portland, ME | $97,415 | $46.83 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $90,831 | $43.67 |
| 4 | Baltimore, MD | $90,373 | $43.45 |
| 5 | Chicopee, MA | $85,014 | $40.87 |
| 6 | Salt Lake City, UT | $78,529 | $37.75 |
| 7 | Bismarck, ND | $77,764 | $37.39 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $77,532 | $37.27 |
| 9 | Omaha, NE | $76,734 | $36.89 |
| 10 | Charleston, WV | $76,261 | $36.66 |
| 11 | Kansas City, MO | $76,073 | $36.57 |
| 12 | San Angelo, TX | $72,947 | $35.07 |
| 13 | Boulder, CO | $72,190 | $34.71 |
| 14 | New York, NY | $71,636 | $34.44 |
| 15 | Norman, OK | $70,487 | $33.89 |
| 16 | Baton Rouge, LA | $70,291 | $33.79 |
| 17 | Chattanooga, TN | $70,290 | $33.79 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $69,436 | $33.38 |
| 19 | Hillsboro, OR | $69,386 | $33.36 |
| 20 | Charleston, SC | $69,148 | $33.24 |
Meteorologist salary details
A meteorologist's salary ranges from $41,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $114,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a meteorologist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $114,000 | $9,500 | $55 |
| 75th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
| Average | $68,815 | $5,735 | $33 |
| 25th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| 10th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
Highest paying meteorologist jobs
The highest paying types of meteorologists are atmospheric scientist, space operations officer, and weather analyst.
| 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 |
| Environmental Scientist | $60,208 | $5,017 | $28.95 | 56,425 |
Top companies hiring meteorologists now:
Which companies pay meteorologists the most?
Meteorologist salaries at Univision Communications and Forest are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average meteorologist salary at companies like Centurum and Brookhaven National Laboratory are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Univision Communications | $97,718 | $46.98 |
| 2 | Forest Manufacturing Co | $94,961 | $45.65 |
| 3 | Centurum | $94,577 | $45.47 |
| 4 | Brookhaven National Laboratory | $93,966 | $45.18 |
| 5 | TDS | $92,848 | $44.64 |
| 6 | NBCUniversal | $87,450 | $42.04 |
| 7 | Sinclair Broadcast Group | $86,865 | $41.76 |
| 8 | Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC | $84,475 | $40.61 |
| 9 | I.M. Systems Group | $83,152 | $39.98 |
| 10 | Spectrum | $82,171 | $39.51 |
| 11 | The State of Oregon | $80,354 | $38.63 |
| 12 | Nexstar Media Group | $77,928 | $37.47 |
| 13 | The E.W. Scripps Company | $75,819 | $36.45 |
| 14 | Systems Research Corporation | $74,175 | $35.66 |
| 15 | Spire | $72,839 | $35.02 |
| 16 | Gray Television | $72,075 | $34.65 |
| 17 | Paramount | $70,494 | $33.89 |
| 18 | WMSN FOX 47 News, Madison | $69,793 | $33.55 |
| 19 | PPM | $69,313 | $33.32 |
| 20 | TEGNA | $62,598 | $30.10 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Meteorologist salary trends
The average meteorologist salary has risen by $6,865 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average meteorologist earned $61,950 annually, but today, they earn $68,815 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for meteorologists over the last decade.
Compare meteorologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average meteorologist salary over time
Compare meteorologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Meteorologist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $68,800 | $33.08 | +4.4% |
| 2024 | $65,800 | $31.64 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $64,900 | $31.22 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $63,500 | $30.54 | -0.4% |
| 2021 | $63,800 | $30.67 | +2.9% |
Recently added meteorologist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Light & Magic | Meteorologist-Off-Air Freelance (ABC News) (Expression of Interest) | Fine, NY | 06/27/2025 | $104,350 |
| Sinclair Broadcast Group | Weekend Meteorologist | Schenectady, NY | 06/23/2025 | $41,740 |
| The Edward W Scripps Trust | Meteorologist, Kmgh | Denver, CO | 06/22/2025 | $85,000 |
| Hawaiian Electric Company | Meteorologist-Oahu | Urban Honolulu, HI | 06/21/2025 | $105,000 |
| Nexstar Media Group | Meteorologist | San Francisco, CA | 06/20/2025 | $94,604 |
| Scripps Networks Interactive | Evening Meteorologist, Ksby | San Luis Obispo, CA | 06/20/2025 | $90,000 |
| Scripps Networks Interactive | Meteorologist, Kmgh | Denver, CO | 06/20/2025 | $85,000 |
| The Edward W Scripps Trust | Evening Meteorologist, Ksby | San Luis Obispo, CA | 06/20/2025 | $90,000 |
| Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance | Wildfire Meteorologist | Boston, MA | 06/16/2025 | $110,000 |
| Cox Media Group | Meteorologist-Kiro TV | Seattle, WA | 06/14/2025 | $46,800 |
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