How Much Money Do Meteorologists Earn?

Atmospheric scientists or meteorologists study weather patterns and radars to predict weather forecasts and understand climate changes and weather history. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the field of meteorology will grow by 11 percent through 2016, resulting in the creation of approximately 900 jobs.

General Average Salary

Meteorologists average an annual salary of $82,080.

Salary Range

The lowest-paid 10 percent of meteorologists earn salaries around $38,990, while the highest-paid 10 percent earn approximately $127,100.

Largest Employers

Some of the largest employers of meteorologists are scientific services and consulting services. Scientists employed in these areas earn average salaries of $52,330 and $50,930, respectively.

Highest-Paying Employers

The highest-paying employers of atmospheric scientists are scientific research institutions, the federal government, radio and television broadcasters, colleges and universities, and navigational instrument manufacturers. Meteorologists working in these fields average between $80,180 and $92,240.

Highest-Paying Areas

The areas with the highest-paid meteorologists are the District of Columbia, New Jersey, Maryland, California and Pennsylvania, where workers receive average incomes of between $90,480 and $104,230.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Industry Overview
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Compensation Information