Astronomer earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level astronomer earnings begin at:

$80.88 per hour

$168,230 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level astronomer earnings begin at:

$62.27 per hour

$129,520 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level astronomer earnings begin at:

$44.05 per hour

$91,620 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level astronomer earnings begin at:

$32.62 per hour

$67,860 per year

10th percentile

Starting level astronomer earnings begin at:

$26.81 per hour

$55,770 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Astronomer salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Arizona $91,620
New Mexico $73,130
Maryland $127,030
District of Columbia $126,060
Massachusetts $123,110
California $117,700
Hawaii $107,950
Colorado $107,580
Texas $103,370

How do astronomer salaries compare to similar careers?

Astronomers earn 7% more than similar careers in Arizona. On average, they make less than natural sciences managers but more than materials scientists.

Career Median Salary
Natural sciences manager salary $93K
Astronomer salary $92K
Biochemist salary $86K
Nanotechnology engineer salary $92K
Atmospheric scientist salary $96K
Materials scientist salary $88K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)