Astrophysicists | Salary & Job Information

Becoming an Astrophysicists via Online Education?

At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths. Western Governors University is a US school (accredited) offering physics courses to train individuals to become top-notch physicists, biophysicists, medical physicists, astrophysicistss, etc. Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 1,240 people employed as astronomers alone in America, and their average annual salary is $102,740. Physicists make on average $111,250 per year and there are about 13,630 of them employed today. Colleges and universities like Western Governors University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into this field.

Typical Work Locations for an Astrophysicists
  • Observatories
  • Research Institutions
  • Medical Imaging Labs
  • Universities
  • Science Libraries
  • Research Laboratories
  • Planetaria Centers
  • Science Centers
  • Aerospace
  • Space Industries
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as an Astrophysicists
  • Well-paid profession
  • Respected profession
  • Ability to work long hours
  • Employment opportunities expected to increase
  • Advancement Possibilities
  • Opportunity to earn about different technologies
  • Provides service and information to society
  • Career advancement depends on individual research
  • Not bound to a long work week
  • Gain deep and extensive knowledge
Potential Drawbacks
  • Working odd and long hours
  • Declining resources
  • Increasing demands
  • Long term benefits for humanity
  • Not much time for personal life
  • Far removed from everyday life and our usual short term goals
  • Having to work in eternal settings
  • May be necessary to travel often
  • Stress in work concerning deadlines
  • Long hours by oneself
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Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be an Astrophysicists
  • How did you get involved in astronomy?
  • What are the chances of being able to make a fascinating discovery that no one has ever made before?
  • What are the strengths and weakness of the endosymbotic theory?
  • What advice would you give to someone interested in a career in astrophysics?
  • What our your expectations from our center?
  • How would you describe the ideal job for you following graduation?
  • What are your long range goals and objectives?
  • How flexible are you when it comes to working hours?
  • How can space expand faster than the speed of light?
  • What causes day and night on the Earth?
Common Collaborating Professions
  • Astrophysicist
  • Supervisory Research Astrophysicist
  • Surveyors
  • Nuclear Astrophysicist
  • Submillimeter Array Astrophysicist
  • Mechanical Engineers
  • Director
  • Civil Drafters
  • Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians
  • Nuclear Astrophysicist
Astrophysicists Training books Astrophysicists (More) Popular books Potential Companies to Work For Common College Majors
  • Aviation Science
  • Biology
  • Biotechnology
  • Environmental Science
  • Fire Science
  • Conceptual Physics
  • Mathematical Statistics
  • Physics
  • Quantum Theory
  • Social Science

Astrophysicists Salary Information

Category: Astronomers

Total # Employed in the US 1,240
Average Hourly Wage: $49.4/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$21.93 $31.59 $50.35 $66.65 $73.66
Average Yearly Salary $102,740
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$45,610 $65,710 $104,720 $138,640 $153,210
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.0% 0.4% 4.5% 1.0% 18.5% 24.4% 51.2%
Astronomers — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Mississippi $61.79/hr $128,520
Missouri $60.85/hr $126,560
Colorado $56.84/hr $118,230
Wyoming $42.25/hr $87,870
Arkansas $38.97/hr $81,060


Category: Physicists

Total # Employed in the US 13,630
Average Hourly Wage: $53.49/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$27.02 $38.33 $51.15 $66.62 $79.69
Average Yearly Salary $111,250
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$56,210 $79,740 $106,390 $138,560 $165,750
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.0% 0.4% 4.5% 1.0% 18.5% 24.4% 51.2%
Physicists — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Maryland $67.22/hr $139,810
Hawaii $65.57/hr $136,380
Kentucky $65.48/hr $136,200
Nebraska $62.9/hr $130,840
Kansas $60.59/hr $126,020
Oklahoma $59.8/hr $124,370
Florida $58.9/hr $122,500
Delaware $57.09/hr $118,750
North Carolina $56.61/hr $117,750
Wisconsin $56.35/hr $117,210
Mississippi $56.1/hr $116,680
Idaho $55.82/hr $116,100
Missouri $55.39/hr $115,210
Iowa $54.73/hr $113,840
Utah $53.96/hr $112,230
Connecticut $53.32/hr $110,900
Alabama $53/hr $110,240
Tennessee $51.53/hr $107,180
Colorado $51.12/hr $106,340
North Dakota $50.23/hr $104,470
South Carolina $49.97/hr $103,940
Michigan $48.73/hr $101,370
Indiana $48.41/hr $100,700
Montana $47.55/hr $98,910
Oregon $47.49/hr $98,770
Guam $45.62/hr $94,900
New Mexico $41.79/hr $86,920
Wyoming $40.82/hr $84,910
Nevada $40.38/hr $84,000
District of Columbia $38.41/hr $79,890
Arkansas $36.22/hr $75,340
Washington $27.75/hr $57,730


Category: Atmospheric and space scientists

Total # Employed in the US 8,320
Average Hourly Wage: $40.94/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$19.5 $28.21 $40.73 $50.25 $61.18
Average Yearly Salary $85,160
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$40,560 $58,680 $84,710 $104,520 $127,250
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.0% 0.0% 7.0% 5.2% 47.1% 25.3% 15.5%
Atmospheric and space scientists — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Florida $54.84/hr $114,070
Mississippi $52.66/hr $109,530
North Dakota $51.47/hr $107,060
South Dakota $45.13/hr $93,870
Utah $45.12/hr $93,850
New Hampshire $43.76/hr $91,020
Maryland $43.34/hr $90,140
Connecticut $42.6/hr $88,610
Guam $41.52/hr $86,360
Massachusetts $41.48/hr $86,270
New Mexico $41.22/hr $85,730
Nebraska $41.18/hr $85,650
Colorado $41.08/hr $85,440
Idaho $40.8/hr $84,860
Hawaii $40.56/hr $84,350
Wisconsin $40.28/hr $83,790
Montana $40.15/hr $83,520
Oregon $39.91/hr $83,020
Michigan $39.9/hr $82,980
Washington $39.79/hr $82,760
New York $39.77/hr $82,720
Arkansas $39.48/hr $82,110
Wyoming $39.25/hr $81,640
Missouri $39.23/hr $81,600
Kansas $38.98/hr $81,080
New Jersey $38.71/hr $80,520
Kentucky $38.09/hr $79,240
Iowa $37.74/hr $78,500
Tennessee $37.51/hr $78,020
Oklahoma $37.11/hr $77,180
Ohio $35.46/hr $73,760
Maine $35.23/hr $73,270
Nevada $35.15/hr $73,110
Louisiana $34.14/hr $71,010
Alaska $33.12/hr $68,890
Delaware $32.02/hr $66,610
South Carolina $29.53/hr $61,420
North Carolina $27.89/hr $58,010
Pennsylvania $27.12/hr $56,400


Physics Programs by State & City