The average salary for an atmospheric scientist in the United States is around $99,070 per year.
Avg Salary
Atmospheric scientists earn an average yearly salary of $99,070.
Wages typically start from $53,060 and go up to $161,890.
51% above national average Updated in 2025
Atmospheric scientist earnings by seniority
Top-level atmospheric scientist earnings begin at:
$77.83 per hour
$161,890 per year
Senior-level atmospheric scientist earnings begin at:
$62.48 per hour
$129,960 per year
Mid-level atmospheric scientist earnings begin at:
$47.63 per hour
$99,070 per year
Junior-level atmospheric scientist earnings begin at:
$35.26 per hour
$73,350 per year
Starting level atmospheric scientist earnings begin at:
$25.51 per hour
$53,060 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Atmospheric scientist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | $99,940 |
| Louisiana | $97,470 |
| Georgia | $96,820 |
| Utah | $96,520 |
| Tennessee | $96,190 |
| Washington | $94,400 |
| Alaska | $94,380 |
| North Carolina | $91,560 |
| North Dakota | $91,560 |
| Wisconsin | $85,870 |
| Connecticut | $85,110 |
| Texas | $84,990 |
| Virginia | $83,880 |
| South Carolina | $82,240 |
| Alabama | $81,080 |
| West Virginia | $80,690 |
| South Dakota | $78,900 |
| Ohio | $78,580 |
| Iowa | $76,850 |
| Oklahoma | $76,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,890 |
| Mississippi | $73,080 |
| Arkansas | $71,940 |
| Nebraska | $60,540 |
| New Hampshire | $42,820 |
| Maryland | $128,800 |
| California | $124,920 |
| Hawaii | $121,010 |
| New Jersey | $120,180 |
| Idaho | $119,430 |
| New York | $117,540 |
| Florida | $115,960 |
| Arizona | $115,020 |
| Missouri | $114,230 |
| Illinois | $112,280 |
| Oregon | $112,260 |
| New Mexico | $110,070 |
| Kansas | $109,300 |
| Nevada | $109,300 |
| Montana | $108,890 |
| Massachusetts | $108,050 |
| Minnesota | $106,270 |
| Colorado | $104,670 |
| District of Columbia | $103,860 |
| Maine | $103,710 |
| Indiana | $103,680 |
| Kentucky | $103,240 |
| Michigan | $103,210 |
How do atmospheric scientist salaries compare to similar careers?
Atmospheric scientists earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than statisticians but more than food science technologists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Statistician salary | $106K |
| Biostatistician salary | $106K |
| Scientist salary | $101K |
| Molecular biologist salary | $99K |
| Bioinformatics scientist salary | $99K |
| Atmospheric scientist salary | $99K |
| Hydrologist salary | $97K |
| Geographer salary | $102K |
| Chemist salary | $91K |
| Food science technologist salary | $89K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)