Career
Astronomers
Study stars, planets and the universe.
$128,820
Median pay
+7.8%
Job growth, 2025–35
100
Openings a year
Doctoral or professional degree
Typical education
7–8 years
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Analyze research data to determine its significance, using computers.
- Present research findings at scientific conferences and in papers written for scientific journals.
- Study celestial phenomena, using a variety of ground-based and space-borne telescopes and scientific instruments.
- Collaborate with other astronomers to carry out research projects.
- Mentor graduate students and junior colleagues.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on ideas & analysis, then objects & tools?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Analyze research data to determine its significance, using computers.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Reading Comprehension, Science, Writing, Critical Thinking.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
7–8 years of education after high school (doctoral or professional degree), for a median of $128,820 a year and 100 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- AstronomyCIP 40.0201
- AstrophysicsCIP 40.0202
- Planetary Astronomy and ScienceCIP 40.0203
- Astronomy and Astrophysics, OtherCIP 40.0299
- Physics and AstronomyCIP 40.1101
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Physicists$172,250 · +7.2%
- Mathematicians$126,710 · +0.6%
- Physics Teachers, Postsecondary$100,310 · +2.4%
- Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$101,920 · +5.1%
- Biochemists and Biophysicists$127,410 · +12.3%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.