Astronomer earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level astronomer earnings begin at:

$77.07 per hour

$160,310 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level astronomer earnings begin at:

$75.94 per hour

$157,960 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level astronomer earnings begin at:

$61.07 per hour

$127,030 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level astronomer earnings begin at:

$47.26 per hour

$98,300 per year

10th percentile

Starting level astronomer earnings begin at:

$34.20 per hour

$71,130 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 about the same as related careers in Maryland. On average, they make less than physicists but more than chemists.

Career Median Salary
Physicist salary $125K
Astronomer salary $127K
Mathematician salary $120K
Nanotechnology engineer salary $124K
Materials scientist salary $112K
Chemist salary $108K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)