How Much Money Does a Climatologist Earn?
The climate has become a much-discussed topic over the last few decades in light of global warming and the impact of pollution on the planet. Climatologists are atmospheric scientists who seek to understand the shifting nature of Earth’s weather systems, researching past trends and trying to predict future occurrences. They use both simple and complex equipment to amass data, from rainfall collection vessels to satellite images and computerized prediction tools, and their conclusions influence areas such as industrial pollution controls, construction techniques -- in, for instance, areas prone to hurricanes -- and agriculture.
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Average Pay
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For its national employment survey carried out in May of 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics classified climatologists alongside their fellow atmospheric and space scientists. The bureau reported that the mean annual salary across this professional grouping was $88,010, which equates to an hourly pay rate of $42.31. Top earners -- those in the highest 10 percent bracket -- earned salaries of over $132,130 while their contemporaries in the corresponding bottom bracket earned lower than $45,050.
Pay by Industry
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The largest numbers of atmospheric scientists, such as climatologists, work for the federal government, according to the bureau’s research. The mean wage within this sector of the industry was listed as $95,760. This was among the highest-paying sectors, alongside navigational, measuring, electro-medical and control instruments manufacturing -- at $147,370 – and management, scientific and technical consulting services -- at $112,700. Climatologists working within scientific research and development services earned a mean of $90,490 per year while those employed by colleges, universities and professional schools received an annual mean of $87,450.
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Pay by Location
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The bureau listed Maryland as the area in which, across all industry sectors, an atmospheric scientist, such as a climatological expert, was likely to earn the most money, with a mean annual salary in the state of $114,650. Colorado and California were also lucrative locations, with similar pay rates of $99,510 and $98,130, respectively. By contrast, Montana was listed at a mean of just $64,880 while North Dakota paid just $60,340.
Outlook
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics is expecting to see the job market for atmospheric scientists, such as climatologists, grow by approximately 15 percent over the time from 2008 to 2018 while the nation as a whole will experience growth of between 7 and 13 percent. Rising demand, particularly from industry, for accurate meteorological data will be a key factor is spurring this growth and should see wage levels within the profession remain competitive -- although the bureau cautions that competition for vacancies will be keen.
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References
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