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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

19-2011 Astronomers

Observe, research, and interpret astronomical phenomena to increase basic knowledge or apply such information to practical problems.


National estimates for Astronomers
Industry profile for Astronomers
Geographic profile for Astronomers

National estimates for Astronomers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Astronomers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
1,910 7.2 % $ 60.70 $ 126,250 3.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Astronomers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 30.00 $ 38.43 $ 57.56 $ 80.15 $ 91.20
Annual Wage (2) $ 62,410 $ 79,930 $ 119,730 $ 166,710 $ 189,690


Industry profile for Astronomers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Astronomers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Astronomers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Astronomers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 720 0.10 $ 68.33 $ 142,130
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 660 0.02 $ 46.43 $ 96,570
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 460 0.02 $ 70.40 $ 146,440
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 40 0.03 $ 54.54 $ 113,440

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Astronomers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 720 0.10 $ 68.33 $ 142,130
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 40 0.03 $ 54.54 $ 113,440
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 660 0.02 $ 46.43 $ 96,570
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 460 0.02 $ 70.40 $ 146,440

Top paying industries for Astronomers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 460 0.02 $ 70.40 $ 146,440
Scientific Research and Development Services 720 0.10 $ 68.33 $ 142,130
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 40 0.03 $ 54.54 $ 113,440
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 660 0.02 $ 46.43 $ 96,570


Geographic profile for Astronomers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Astronomers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Astronomers, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in Astronomers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 340 0.02 1.51 $ 87.19 $ 181,360
Texas 230 0.02 1.37 $ 53.45 $ 111,180
Arizona 150 0.05 3.74 $ 55.73 $ 115,920
Hawaii 60 0.11 8.21 $ 69.49 $ 144,540
New Mexico 40 0.05 3.74 $ 38.61 $ 80,320




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Astronomers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii 60 0.11 8.21 $ 69.49 $ 144,540
New Mexico 40 0.05 3.74 $ 38.61 $ 80,320
Arizona 150 0.05 3.74 $ 55.73 $ 115,920
California 340 0.02 1.51 $ 87.19 $ 181,360
Texas 230 0.02 1.37 $ 53.45 $ 111,180




Top paying states for Astronomers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 340 0.02 1.51 $ 87.19 $ 181,360
Hawaii 60 0.11 8.21 $ 69.49 $ 144,540
Arizona 150 0.05 3.74 $ 55.73 $ 115,920
Colorado (8) (8) (8) $ 55.49 $ 115,420
Texas 230 0.02 1.37 $ 53.45 $ 111,180





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Astronomers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 420 0.14 10.17 $ 63.88 $ 132,870
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 160 0.15 10.62 $ 84.11 $ 174,950
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 130 0.02 1.58 $ 97.08 $ 201,920




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Astronomers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 160 0.15 10.62 $ 84.11 $ 174,950
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 420 0.14 10.17 $ 63.88 $ 132,870
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 130 0.02 1.58 $ 97.08 $ 201,920




Top paying metropolitan areas for Astronomers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 130 0.02 1.58 $ 97.08 $ 201,920
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 160 0.15 10.62 $ 84.11 $ 174,950
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX (8) (8) (8) $ 63.98 $ 133,080
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 420 0.14 10.17 $ 63.88 $ 132,870
Boulder, CO (8) (8) (8) $ 55.39 $ 115,220
Tucson, AZ (8) (8) (8) $ 54.76 $ 113,890


About May 2020 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021