Analyzes long-term weather records and climate models to explain climate patterns, trends and risks for agencies, farms and businesses. BLS does not publish separate figures for atmospheric and space scientists; it counts them within atmospheric and space scientist (SOC 19-2021), whose median pay is $99,070 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 19-2021
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Climatologist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $99,070a year, or $47.63/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $53KTop 10% $162K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.6%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 80010,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202510.7K
- Projected 203510.9K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 10.7K Projected 2035 10.9K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Bachelor's60%
- Master's20%
- Doctorate15%
- Post-doctoral training5%
Highest education held by atmospheric and space scientists Segment Value Bachelor's 60% Master's 20% Doctorate 15% Post-doctoral training 5%
Also advertised as: Climate Scientist, State Climatologist, Applied Climatologist, Climate Data Scientist, Climate Modeler.
Pay
How much do Atmospheric and Space Scientists make?
Every climatologist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$99,070
Middle half earn $73,350 to $129,960
- 10th
- $53,060
- 25th
- $73,350
- 75th
- $129,960
- 90th
- $161,890
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $53,060 |
| 25th | $73,350 |
| Median | $99,070 |
| 75th | $129,960 |
| 90th | $161,890 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $99,070
- Median hourly wage
- $47.63/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $106,110
- People employed
- 10,000
Versus all US occupations
At $99,070, Atmospheric and Space Scientists earn 94% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $48,090 a year.
Versus life, physical, and social science occupations
Inside the Life, Physical, and Social Science group, where the middle occupation pays $82,220, this is 20% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $161,890 or more while the bottom 10% earn $53,060, a gap of 3.1×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 72% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Maryland posts the highest raw median ($128,800), but once local prices are taken into account Missouri leads at $125,780 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Atmospheric and Space Scientists the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Maryland | $128,800 | $122,715 | 750 |
| 2California | $124,920 | $112,825 | 510 |
| 3Hawaii | $121,010 | $110,058 | 70 |
| 4New Jersey | $120,180 | $110,454 | 60 |
| 5Idaho | $119,430 | $125,065 | 50 |
| 6New York | $117,540 | $108,913 | 370 |
| 7Florida | $115,960 | $112,132 | 270 |
| 8Arizona | $115,020 | $114,247 | 80 |
| 9Missouri | $114,230 | $125,780 | 160 |
| 10Illinois | $112,280 | $112,327 | 110 |
Job outlook
Is Climatologist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +2.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | +2.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Atmospheric and Space Scientists to change 2.6% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 800 openings are projected each year, 7.5% of the 10,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Climatologist
A bachelor's degree in atmospheric science, meteorology, geography or physics is the starting point. Many climatologists hold a master's or PhD, especially for research and modeling roles. Statistics and programming, particularly in Python or R for large gridded datasets, are core skills.
The American Meteorological Society runs conferences, student chapters and a career center, and the American Association of State Climatologists connects the network of state offices. Federal applicants who want meteorologist positions need the specific coursework set out in the federal meteorology series qualification standard. Internships at NOAA, state climate offices and university climate centers are common entry points.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as atmospheric and space scientists.
- Bachelor's Degree60%
- Master's Degree20%
- Doctoral Degree15%
- Post-Doctoral Training5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 60% |
| Master's Degree | 20% |
| Doctoral Degree | 15% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Climatologist do?
Climatologists study weather over long periods instead of day to day. They maintain and analyze historical records of temperature, precipitation, drought and extreme events, and use climate models to project how those patterns may change. The results are used to set building and infrastructure design standards, plan water supplies, time crop planting, and price risk for insurers and utilities.
Many climatologists work in applied settings. State climatologist offices answer questions from farmers, courts and emergency managers. NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information produce national climate data. Private firms hire climatologists to assess physical climate risk to buildings, supply chains and investment portfolios.
Day-to-day tasks
- Analyze historical weather and climate records for trends and extremes
- Run and evaluate climate model projections
- Quality-check observations from weather station networks
- Prepare drought, temperature and precipitation summaries
- Answer data requests from farmers, agencies, courts and the public
- Assess physical climate risk for clients and infrastructure
- Publish reports and present findings to decision makers
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Climatologists mainly work in offices, often with flexible or hybrid arrangements, analyzing data and writing reports. Some travel to meet stakeholders, maintain weather stations or attend conferences. Deadlines tied to droughts, disasters or client projects can bring busy periods. Many roles sit in state climate offices on university campuses, at federal centers such as NOAA's in Asheville, North Carolina, or at risk analytics firms.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Science4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Learning4.0
- Writing3.9
- Mathematics3.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Science | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 4.0 |
| Writing | 3.9 |
| Mathematics | 3.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Systems Analysis3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Instructing3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Persuasion2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Climatologist?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ICR) built on O*NET's Atmospheric and Space Scientist profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Climatologist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Investigative6.3
- Realistic4.9
- Conventional4.8
- Artistic2.7
- Enterprising2.7
- Social2.5
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Climatologist
O*NET related occupations
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
Geoscientist, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
$101,920median a year
Most earn $59K to $200K
+5.1%Bachelor's - Life, Physical, and Social Science
Remote Sensing Scientist and Technologist
$122,570median a year
Most earn $67K to $195K
+2.1%Bachelor's - Computer and Mathematical
- Computer and Mathematical
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+5.1%Bachelor's
More life, physical, and social science careers
Median annual pay, with atmospheric and space scientists highlighted
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologist$193,950
- Physicist$172,250
- Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists$103,410
- Climatologist$99,070
- Chemist$91,240
- Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health$82,220
- Conservation Scientist$73,010
- Chemical Technician$60,390
- Biological Technician$57,510
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologist | $193,950 |
| Physicist | $172,250 |
| Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 |
| Climatologist | $99,070 |
| Chemist | $91,240 |
| Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health | $82,220 |
| Conservation Scientist | $73,010 |
| Chemical Technician | $60,390 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Climatologist appears on
Questions
Climatologist: frequently asked questions
How much do Atmospheric and Space Scientists make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for atmospheric and space scientists. It counts them within atmospheric and space scientist, whose median pay is $99,070 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $73,350 and $129,960, and the top 10% earn $161,890 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Climatologist?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Atmospheric and Space Scientists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 60.0% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Climatologist a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 2.6% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Climatologist do?
Climatologists study weather over long periods instead of day to day. A typical task: analyze historical weather and climate records for trends and extremes. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software.
Which states pay Atmospheric and Space Scientists the most?
The highest state medians for Atmospheric and Space Scientists are Maryland ($128,800), California ($124,920), Hawaii ($121,010) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Missouri moves to the top at $125,780.
What personality type suits a Climatologist?
O*NET scores Atmospheric and Space Scientists highest on the Investigative, Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, INTJ, ISTP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.