Pay by state · 48 states
Atmospheric and Space Scientist Salary by State (2026)
Atmospheric and Space Scientists earn the most in Maryland at $128,800 a year and the least in New Hampshire at $42,820 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $99,070. All 48 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $128,800Maryland
- National median
- $99,070BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $42,820New Hampshire
- States reporting
- 48of 54 OEWS areas
All states
Atmospheric and Space Scientist salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of atmospheric and space scientists OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MDMaryland | $128,800 | $101,940 | $156,750 | 750 | $122,715 |
| 2 | CACalifornia | $124,920 | $105,910 | $144,910 | 510 | $112,825 |
| 3 | HIHawaii | $121,010 | $98,340 | $139,360 | 70 | $110,058 |
| 4 | NJNew Jersey | $120,180 | $81,470 | $171,190 | 60 | $110,454 |
| 5 | IDIdaho | $119,430 | $88,610 | $136,990 | 50 | $125,065 |
| 6 | NYNew York | $117,540 | $73,350 | $166,640 | 370 | $108,913 |
| 7 | FLFlorida | $115,960 | $89,270 | $144,330 | 270 | $112,132 |
| 8 | AZArizona | $115,020 | $77,330 | $132,660 | 80 | $114,247 |
| 9 | MOMissouri | $114,230 | $84,520 | $130,770 | 160 | $125,780 |
| 10 | ILIllinois | $112,280 | $84,220 | $145,860 | 110 | $112,327 |
| 11 | OROregon | $112,260 | $82,680 | $129,960 | 100 | $108,610 |
| 12 | NMNew Mexico | $110,070 | $89,560 | $136,990 | 60 | $119,366 |
| 13 | KSKansas | $109,300 | $85,110 | $126,440 | 80 | $121,353 |
| 14 | NVNevada | $109,300 | $82,630 | $149,430 | 120 | $109,323 |
| 15 | MTMontana | $108,890 | $77,350 | $128,670 | 70 | $115,051 |
| 16 | MAMassachusetts | $108,050 | $86,550 | $155,150 | N/A | $102,168 |
| 17 | MNMinnesota | $106,270 | $94,520 | $133,470 | 50 | $107,756 |
| 18 | COColorado | $104,670 | $85,440 | $140,380 | 1,150 | $101,570 |
| 19 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $103,860 | $103,860 | $180,480 | 70 | $94,503 |
| 20 | MEMaine | $103,710 | $69,680 | $136,990 | 50 | $106,862 |
| 21 | INIndiana | $103,680 | $84,910 | $128,670 | 80 | $111,091 |
| 22 | KYKentucky | $103,240 | $75,680 | $132,990 | 100 | $114,509 |
| 23 | MIMichigan | $103,210 | $73,920 | $134,130 | 150 | $107,268 |
| 24 | WYWyoming | $99,940 | $76,580 | $122,940 | 40 | $107,821 |
| 25 | LALouisiana | $97,470 | $75,550 | $125,420 | 70 | $110,501 |
| 26 | GAGeorgia | $96,820 | $56,200 | $132,900 | 170 | $100,547 |
| 27 | UTUtah | $96,520 | $59,670 | $100,650 | 170 | $97,629 |
| 28 | TNTennessee | $96,190 | $78,060 | $129,620 | 230 | $104,702 |
| 29 | WAWashington | $94,400 | $85,400 | $124,990 | 190 | $88,214 |
| 30 | AKAlaska | $94,380 | $65,230 | $106,510 | N/A | $92,205 |
| 31 | NCNorth Carolina | $91,560 | $58,920 | $115,210 | 170 | $97,068 |
| 32 | NDNorth Dakota | $91,560 | $61,110 | $126,440 | 40 | $102,924 |
| 33 | WIWisconsin | $85,870 | $69,320 | $107,970 | 280 | $91,259 |
| 34 | CTConnecticut | $85,110 | $83,970 | $102,130 | 50 | $82,145 |
| 35 | TXTexas | $84,990 | $66,930 | $95,480 | 720 | $87,567 |
| 36 | VAVirginia | $83,880 | $80,710 | $154,930 | 350 | $82,964 |
| 37 | SCSouth Carolina | $82,240 | $75,400 | $102,430 | 150 | $87,724 |
| 38 | ALAlabama | $81,080 | $65,230 | $104,300 | 340 | $91,283 |
| 39 | WVWest Virginia | $80,690 | $52,060 | $100,420 | 40 | $90,159 |
| 40 | SDSouth Dakota | $78,900 | $68,220 | $104,380 | 130 | $89,066 |
| 41 | OHOhio | $78,580 | $68,990 | $107,950 | 160 | $84,700 |
| 42 | IAIowa | $76,850 | $74,260 | $111,030 | 100 | $87,566 |
| 43 | OKOklahoma | $76,480 | $48,930 | $115,490 | 420 | $87,064 |
| 44 | PAPennsylvania | $75,890 | $60,560 | $115,210 | 160 | $77,778 |
| 45 | ARArkansas | $71,940 | $67,560 | $97,580 | N/A | $82,750 |
| 46 | PRPuerto Rico | $63,910 | $63,790 | $88,610 | 40 | N/A |
| 47 | NENebraska | $60,540 | $58,850 | $109,300 | 160 | $67,190 |
| 48 | NHNew Hampshire | $42,820 | $42,340 | $64,400 | 130 | $41,108 |
Method
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Atmospheric and Space Scientists, that changes the ranking: Maryland leads on raw pay at $128,800, while Missouri leads once prices are taken into account at $125,780.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
Atmospheric and Space Scientist pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Atmospheric and Space Scientists the most?
Maryland reports the highest median wage for Atmospheric and Space Scientists at $128,800 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by California ($124,920) and Hawaii ($121,010).
Which state pays Atmospheric and Space Scientists the least?
New Hampshire reports the lowest median for Atmospheric and Space Scientists at $42,820 a year, $85,980 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Atmospheric and Space Scientists earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts Missouri first at $125,780 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $114,230. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.