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Operational meteorologist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an operational meteorologist. Operational meteorologists usually study meteorology, general studies, or physical sciences. 82% of operational meteorologists hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 46 real operational meteorologist resumes to see exactly what operational meteorologist education sections show.
The most common colleges for operational meteorologists are the Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania State University.
There are also many online operational meteorologist courses to help get the education required to be an operational meteorologist.
What education do you need to become an operational meteorologist?
What degree do you need to be an operational meteorologist?
- Bachelor's, 82%
- Associate, 11%
- Master's, 5%
- High School Diploma, 3%
What should I major in to become an operational meteorologist?
- Meteorology, 56%
- General Studies, 7%
- Geography, 5%
- Other Majors, 27%
Most common colleges for operational meteorologists
| Operational meteorologist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University | 14.81% |
| Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey | 7.41% |
| Ohio State University | 7.41% |
| Cornell University | 7.41% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 7.41% |
Best majors for operational meteorologists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meteorology | 55.8% |
| 2 | General Studies | 7.0% |
| 3 | Physical Sciences | 4.7% |
| 4 | Geography | 4.7% |
| 5 | Biology | 2.3% |
Best colleges for operational meteorologists
The best colleges for operational meteorologists are Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and New York University.
An operational meteorologist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for operational meteorologists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become operational meteorologists.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
2. Princeton University
Princeton, NJ • Private
In-state tuition
$50,340
Enrollment
5,301
3. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
5. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
6. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
7. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
8. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Enrollment
32,072
10. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
20 best online courses for operational meteorologists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for operational meteorologists
The most affordable schools for operational meteorologists are Purdue University, florida state university, and suny stony brook.
If the best universities for operational meteorologists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for operational meteorologists.
1. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
2. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
3. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Cost of attendance
24,718
4. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Cost of attendance
24,514
5. University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,400
Cost of attendance
19,777
6. Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver, CO • Private
In-state tuition
$7,666
Cost of attendance
21,702
7. SUNY College at Brockport
Brockport, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,412
Cost of attendance
22,901
8. North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$6,612
Cost of attendance
17,639
9. SUNY Maritime College
Throggs Neck, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,283
Cost of attendance
25,308
10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for operational meteorologists
The hardest universities for operational meteorologists to get into are Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and New York University.
Some great schools for operational meteorologists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for operational meteorologists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Princeton University
Princeton, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,503
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
3. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
5. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,309
6. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,326
7. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,448
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
9. Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,304
10. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,365
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for operational meteorologists
The easiest schools for operational meteorologists to get into are University of the Incarnate Word, suny maritime college, and saint cloud state university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an operational meteorologist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for operational meteorologists.
1. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
2. SUNY Maritime College
Throggs Neck, NY • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,176
3. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
4. University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,202
5. Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions rate
59%
SAT average
1,016
6. Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, IN • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,204
7. Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,162
8. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
Admissions rate
55%
SAT average
1,143
9. Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL • Private
Admissions rate
59%
SAT average
1,037
10. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Rapid City, SD • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,268
Average operational meteorologist salary by education level
| Operational meteorologist education level | Operational meteorologist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $55,145 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $44,572 |
| Doctorate Degree | $67,595 |
Operational meteorologist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025