Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology is a rigorous academic discipline dedicated to understanding the complex systems governing Earth’s atmosphere. This field explores how atmospheric composition and dynamics influence weather patterns, climate variability, and environmental change, equipping students with the analytical and predictive tools needed to address pressing global challenges.
- Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: Investigates the chemical processes and physical properties of atmospheric gases, aerosols, and particulates, including their interactions with solar radiation and Earth’s surface.
- Atmospheric Dynamics: Focuses on the motion of air masses, pressure systems, and the forces driving large-scale circulation patterns in the atmosphere.
- Climatology and Climate Change: Examines long-term atmospheric trends, historical climate variability, and the scientific basis for current and projected climate change.
- Weather Forecasting and Simulation: Trains students in the interpretation of observational data and the use of numerical models to predict short-term weather events with increasing accuracy.
- Climate Modeling and Mathematical Theory: Applies advanced computational techniques and mathematical frameworks to simulate atmospheric behavior across spatial and temporal scales.
- Atmospheric Phenomena: Studies specific weather events such as cloud formation, storm development, cyclones, and precipitation systems, emphasizing their physical mechanisms and societal impacts.
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology degrees, including Natural Sciences Managers, Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary and Atmospheric and Space Scientists. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 192,530 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Sciences Managers 11-9121 | $161,180 | $79,830 - $239,200 | 100,870 | $77.49 |
| Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1051 | $101,390 | $53,310 - $199,260 | 11,480 | N/A |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists 19-2021 | $97,450 | $49,990 - $160,710 | 8,780 | $46.85 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other 19-4099 | $60,130 | $37,310 - $101,870 | 71,400 | $28.91 |
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $63,960 in Vermont to $131,663 in California—a 106% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 192,530 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 64 institutions offering Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology is found at Pennsylvania State University, Main Campus (58 graduates), Texas A & M University, College Station (50 graduates), University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles (48 graduates), Florida State University (FSU) (48 graduates), and University of Missouri (Mizzou), Columbia (47 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 974 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
58 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | psu.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
50 | College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| University of California (UCLA) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
48 | Los Angeles, California | Public | ucla.edu |
| Florida State University (FSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
48 | Tallahassee, Florida | Public | fsu.edu |
| University of Missouri (Mizzou) |
Bachelor's
|
47 | Columbia, Missouri | Public | missouri.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Other Award
|
45 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | worldcampus.psu.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
38 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| University of Colorado Boulder (CU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
37 | Boulder, Colorado | Public | colorado.edu |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
35 | Champaign, Illinois | Public | illinois.edu |
| University at Albany (UAlbany) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
32 | Albany, New York | Public | albany.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
32 | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMCP) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
28 | College Park, Maryland | Public | umd.edu |
| University of Utah (U of U) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
27 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Public | utah.edu |
| Colorado State University (CSU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
26 | Fort Collins, Colorado | Public | colostate.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
23 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| University of North Dakota (UND) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
23 | Grand Forks, North Dakota | Public | und.edu |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) |
Other Award
|
21 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | upenn.edu |
| North Carolina State University (NC State) |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Public | ncsu.edu |
| Ohio State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Columbus, Ohio | Public | osu.edu |
| Millersville University of Pennsylvania |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
18 | Millersville, Pennsylvania | Public | millersville.edu |
| Valparaiso University (Valpo) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Valparaiso, Indiana | Private | valpo.edu |
| University of Miami (UM) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
16 | Coral Gables, Florida | Private | miami.edu |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Daytona Beach, Florida | Private | daytonabeach.erau.edu |
| University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA) |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Asheville, North Carolina | Public | unca.edu |
| Plymouth State University (PSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
13 | Plymouth, New Hampshire | Public | plymouth.edu |
| San Jose State University (SJSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
12 | San Jose, California | Public | sjsu.edu |
| University of California (UCD) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
11 | Davis, California | Public | ucdavis.edu |
| Northern Illinois University (NIU) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Dekalb, Illinois | Public | niu.edu |
| Texas A & M University (TAMU‑CC) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Corpus Christi, Texas | Public | tamucc.edu |
| University of Delaware (UD) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
9 | Newark, Delaware | Public | udel.edu |
| University of Nevada (UNR) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
9 | Reno, Nevada | Public | unr.edu |
| Stony Brook University (SBU) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Stony Brook, New York | Public | stonybrook.edu |
| Purdue University (PU) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdue.edu |
| South Dakota School of Mines and Technology |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | Rapid City, South Dakota | Public | sdsmt.edu |
| Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Danbury, Connecticut | Public | wcsu.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| Ball State University (BSU) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Muncie, Indiana | Public | bsu.edu |
| University of Kansas (KU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
7 | Lawrence, Kansas | Public | ku.edu |
| Cornell University |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Ithaca, New York | Private | cornell.edu |
| Howard University (HU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | howard.edu |
| University of Hawaii (UHM) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Honolulu, Hawaii | Public | manoa.hawaii.edu |
| University of Louisiana (ULM) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Monroe, Louisiana | Public | ulm.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Lowell, Massachusetts | Public | uml.edu |
| Saint Louis University (SLU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | slu.edu |
| North Carolina A & T State University (NC A&T) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Greensboro, North Carolina | Public | ncat.edu |
| University of Houston (UH) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Houston, Texas | Public | uh.edu |
| George Mason University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Fairfax, Virginia | Public | www2.gmu.edu |
| University of Wyoming (UW) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Laramie, Wyoming | Public | uwyo.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Denver, Colorado | Public | msudenver.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
5 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Public | uwm.edu |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Prescott, Arizona | Private | prescott.erau.edu |
| College of DuPage (COD) |
Other Award
|
4 | Glen Ellyn, Illinois | Public | cod.edu |
| Princeton University |
Master's
|
4 | Princeton, New Jersey | Private | princeton.edu |
| University of Alabama (UAH) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Huntsville, Alabama | Public | uah.edu |
| Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) |
Master's
|
3 | Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio | Public | afit.edu |
| Texas Tech University (TTU) |
Master's
|
3 | Lubbock, Texas | Public | ttu.edu |
| University of Nebraska (UNL) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Lincoln, Nebraska | Public | unl.edu |
| East Carolina University (ECU) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Greenville, North Carolina | Public | ecu.edu |
| Utah State University (USU) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Logan, Utah | Public | usu.edu |
| University of California (UCB) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Berkeley, California | Public | berkeley.edu |
| Iowa State University (ISU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Ames, Iowa | Public | iastate.edu |
| Michigan Technological University (MTU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
1 | Houghton, Michigan | Public | mtu.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology programs
How much can I earn with a Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology degree?
Salaries for Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology graduates vary by role and location. Natural Sciences Managers earn a median of $161,180 annually, while Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary earn around $101,390. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $131,663 compared to $63,960 in Vermont. Approximately 192,530 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology programs?
Currently 64 accredited institutions offer Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Pennsylvania State University, Main Campus (58 graduates), Texas A & M University, College Station (50 graduates), and University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles (48 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 979 in 2010 to 974 in 2023-24. This represents a 1% decrease overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Natural Sciences Managers, Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, and Atmospheric and Space Scientists. Related occupations employ approximately 192,530 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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