United States · Pay by job · Science

Atmospheric and Space Scientist salary and take-home pay

The typical US atmospheric and space scientist earns $99,070 a year, or $47.63 an hour (BLS, May 2025). In Texas, where the median for this job is $84,990, a single filer keeps about $68,620 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.

BLS title: Atmospheric and Space Scientists (SOC 19-2021). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.

How much does an atmospheric and space scientist earn?

Atmospheric and Space Scientist pay in the US: the 10th to 90th percentile
Percentile Bar A year An hour
10th $53,060 $25.51
25th $73,350 $35.26
Median $99,070 $47.63
75th $129,960 $62.48
90th $161,890 $77.83

The middle half of people in this job earn $73,350 to $129,960 a year, and about 10,000 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).

Take-home pay tool

The 10th percentile is where pay starts for most people in this job; the 90th, near the top.

Atmospheric and Space Scientist · Texas · single · median

$68,620.47 a year after tax

$5,718.37 a month · $2,639.25 a paycheck (every two weeks)

Pay and taxes for the year
Pay before tax$84,990.00
Federal income tax−$9,867.80
Social Security and Medicare−$6,501.74
Texas tax and payroll contributionsnone
Take-home pay$68,620.47

Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $84,990 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.

What does an atmospheric and space scientist take home at each pay point?

A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:

Atmospheric and Space Scientist take-home pay at each percentile, 2026
Pay a yearTexasCaliforniaNew York
10th $53,060 $44,814$42,967$42,285
25th $73,350 $60,432$56,945$56,720
Median $99,070 $78,526$72,413$73,278
75th $129,960 $100,094$90,707$92,770
90th $161,890 $121,918$109,147$112,395

Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.

Where does an atmospheric and space scientist keep the most after tax?

Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.

Atmospheric and Space Scientist: states ranked by take-home pay at the median
RankStateMedian payTake-home
1 Florida $115,960 $90,408
2 California $124,920 $87,796
3 New Jersey $120,180 $87,216
4 Nevada $109,300 $85,723
5 New York $117,540 $85,069
6 Illinois $112,280 $82,406
7 Wyoming $99,940 $79,138
8 Michigan $103,210 $77,303
9 Tennessee $96,190 $76,500
10 Alaska $94,380 $74,955
11 Washington $94,400 $73,931
12 Georgia $96,820 $72,860
13 North Carolina $91,560 $70,098
14 Texas $84,990 $68,620
15 South Dakota $78,900 $64,336
16 Virginia $83,880 $63,831
17 Ohio $78,580 $62,394
18 Pennsylvania $75,890 $59,836
19 New Hampshire $42,820 $36,586

How much does an atmospheric and space scientist earn in each state?

Atmospheric and Space Scientist median pay and employment in every state and DC (BLS, May 2025)
StateMedian payPeople in the jobTake-home (single)
Alabama $81,080 340 not yet
Alaska $94,380 not released $74,955 (#10)
Arizona $115,020 80 not yet
Arkansas $71,940 not released not yet
California $124,920 510 $87,796 (#2)
Colorado $104,670 1,150 not yet
Connecticut $85,110 50 not yet
Delaware not released not released not yet
District of Columbia $103,860 70 not yet
Florida $115,960 270 $90,408 (#1)
Georgia $96,820 170 $72,860 (#12)
Hawaii $121,010 70 not yet
Idaho $119,430 50 not yet
Illinois $112,280 110 $82,406 (#6)
Indiana $103,680 80 not yet
Iowa $76,850 100 not yet
Kansas $109,300 80 not yet
Kentucky $103,240 100 not yet
Louisiana $97,470 70 not yet
Maine $103,710 50 not yet
Maryland $128,800 750 not yet
Massachusetts $108,050 not released not yet
Michigan $103,210 150 $77,303 (#8)
Minnesota $106,270 50 not yet
Mississippi not released not released not yet
Missouri $114,230 160 not yet
Montana $108,890 70 not yet
Nebraska $60,540 160 not yet
Nevada $109,300 120 $85,723 (#4)
New Hampshire $42,820 130 $36,586 (#19)
New Jersey $120,180 60 $87,216 (#3)
New Mexico $110,070 60 not yet
New York $117,540 370 $85,069 (#5)
North Carolina $91,560 170 $70,098 (#13)
North Dakota $91,560 40 not yet
Ohio $78,580 160 $62,394 (#17)
Oklahoma $76,480 420 not yet
Oregon $112,260 100 not yet
Pennsylvania $75,890 160 $59,836 (#18)
Rhode Island not released not released not yet
South Carolina $82,240 150 not yet
South Dakota $78,900 130 $64,336 (#15)
Tennessee $96,190 230 $76,500 (#9)
Texas $84,990 720 $68,620 (#14)
Utah $96,520 170 not yet
Vermont not released not released not yet
Virginia $83,880 350 $63,831 (#16)
Washington $94,400 190 $73,931 (#11)
West Virginia $80,690 40 not yet
Wisconsin $85,870 280 not yet
Wyoming $99,940 40 $79,138 (#7)

Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.

What is the job outlook for an atmospheric and space scientist?

BLS expects jobs as an atmospheric and space scientist to grow 2.6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 800 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).

Job growth, 2025 to 2035
+2.6%
Openings a year
about 800
Usual education
Bachelor's degree
Work experience
None
On-the-job training
None

The 10 science jobs closest in pay to an atmospheric and space scientist:

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What else can I work out?

Where do these figures come from?

Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.

Questions about atmospheric and space scientist pay

How much does an atmospheric and space scientist make an hour?

The median is $47.63 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $35.26 to $62.48, and the top 10% earn $77.83 or more.

Which state pays an atmospheric and space scientist the most?

Among the 50 states and DC, Maryland has the highest median for this job: $128,800 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, Florida leaves the most: $90,408 a year for a single filer on its median of $115,960.

What is an atmospheric and space scientist’s take-home pay?

On the national median of $99,070, a single filer keeps about $78,526 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $72,413 in California and $73,278 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.

What education do you need to be an atmospheric and space scientist?

BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the usual way in, with no work experience in a related job and no on-the-job training once hired.

Is the number of atmospheric and space scientist jobs growing?

BLS expects jobs as an atmospheric and space scientist to grow 2.6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 800 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).