Astronomer earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level astronomer earnings begin at:

$67.17 per hour

$139,720 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level astronomer earnings begin at:

$58.89 per hour

$122,490 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level astronomer earnings begin at:

$49.04 per hour

$102,000 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level astronomer earnings begin at:

$37.54 per hour

$78,090 per year

10th percentile

Starting level astronomer earnings begin at:

$34.42 per hour

$71,590 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 Hawaii. On average, they make less than nanotechnology engineers but more than occupational health specialists.

Career Median Salary
Nanotechnology engineer salary $123K
Atmospheric scientist salary $121K
Natural sciences manager salary $108K
Geologist salary $106K
Astronomer salary $102K
Scientist salary $93K
Molecular biologist salary $96K
Bioinformatics scientist salary $96K
Occupational health specialist salary $95K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)