SOC 19-2011 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
Astronomers
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
Nationally, astronomers earned a median of $128,820 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 2,120 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $132,620 | $63.76 | 980 | 0.4 |
| Arizona | $129,020 | $62.03 | 100 | 0.0 |
| Virginia | $128,930 | $61.99 | Not published | Not published |
| California | $123,540 | $59.39 | 110 | 0.0 |
| Hawaii | $102,000 | $49.04 | 100 | 0.2 |
Pay by metro area
All 2 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
| Metro area | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $156,750 | $75.36 | 520 | 0.2 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Not published | Not published | 180 | 0.1 |
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.