The average salary for an astronomer in California is around $123,540 per year.
Avg Salary
Astronomers earn an average yearly salary of $123,540.
Wages typically start from $76,020 and go up to $195,190.
58% above national average Updated in 2025
Astronomer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level astronomer earnings begin at:
$93.84 per hour
$195,190 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level astronomer earnings begin at:
$87.87 per hour
$182,780 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level astronomer earnings begin at:
$59.39 per hour
$123,540 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level astronomer earnings begin at:
$36.55 per hour
$76,020 per year
10th percentile
Starting level astronomer earnings begin at:
$36.55 per hour
$76,020 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Astronomer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New Mexico | $73,130 |
| Maryland | $132,620 |
| Arizona | $129,020 |
| Virginia | $128,930 |
| District of Columbia | $126,060 |
| California | $123,540 |
| Massachusetts | $123,110 |
| Colorado | $107,580 |
| Texas | $103,370 |
| Hawaii | $102,000 |
How do astronomer salaries compare to similar careers?
Astronomers earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than biochemists but more than bioinformatics scientists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Biochemist salary | $140K |
| Statistician salary | $136K |
| Biostatistician salary | $136K |
| Nanotechnology engineer salary | $131K |
| Mathematician salary | $127K |
| Astronomer salary | $124K |
| Atmospheric scientist salary | $125K |
| Scientist salary | $120K |
| Molecular biologist salary | $114K |
| Bioinformatics scientist salary | $114K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)