🇺🇸 United States · Astronomer
From $155,710 / yr by industry
Mean salary — $155,710 / yr.
$155,710 / yr
💰 Pay spread — by industry / specialty
The mean is the headline; the spread is what matters.
145,000 $
Observational Astronomer
Telescope time / surveys
🟢 Tier 1 — BLS OEWS May 2024
140,000 $
Theoretical Astronomer
Cosmology / simulation
🟢 Tier 1 — BLS OEWS May 2024
165,000 $
Instrument Scientist
Hardware build at observatories
🟢 Tier 1 — BLS OEWS May 2024
175,000 $
NASA / JPL Researcher
Mission science roles
🟢 Tier 1 — BLS OEWS May 2024
🗺️ The path — stage by stage
- 1. Bachelor (Physics / Astro) (4 yr) — Heavy math + research project
- 2. PhD (5~7 yr) — Specialize: stellar / galactic / cosmology
- 3. Postdoc (2~6 yr) — Often 2 postdocs before faculty
- 4. Faculty / Staff (— yr) — Academia / lab / government
🏛️ Top schools
| School | Location | Notable |
|---|---|---|
| Caltech Astronomy | Pasadena, CA | Strong observational |
| Princeton Astrophysics | Princeton, NJ | Theoretical strength |
| Harvard Astronomy | Cambridge, MA | CfA collaboration |
| UC Santa Cruz Astronomy | Santa Cruz, CA | Lick / Keck access |
| U Arizona Astronomy | Tucson, AZ | Multiple major telescopes |
🟠 Tier 3 — context only
💵 Specialties — same title, different number
| Specialty / Industry | Mean / yr | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Observational Astronomer | 145,000 $ | Telescope time / surveys |
| Theoretical Astronomer | 140,000 $ | Cosmology / simulation |
| Instrument Scientist | 165,000 $ | Hardware build at observatories |
| NASA / JPL Researcher | 175,000 $ | Mission science roles |
| Data Scientist (ex-astro) | 195,000 $ | Industry transition path |
🏢 Employer types — base vs total comp
University (tenure)
Base 9-month + grant summer salary
National Observatory
Federal pay scale + benefits
NASA / Aerospace
GS scale + research duties
📈 Income across years
PhD student
35,000 $
5~7 yr
Postdoc
65,000 $
2~6 yr
Assistant Professor / Staff Scientist
110,000 $
5~8 yr
Tenured / Senior Staff
165,000 $
10+ yr
📚 Go deeper
Four sub-pages — gift, vision, path, history.