Also called: Research Astronomer
Studies stars, galaxies, planets, and the universe using telescopes and computer models.
Most of your time is at a computer, not a telescope: analyzing data from observatories or space telescopes like JWST, writing code, and writing papers. A few nights a year you might observe from a mountaintop in Chile or Hawaii. Most astronomers also teach at universities.
BLS median for astronomers (May 2025).
Doctorate (PhD), about 11 years after high school. Bachelor's in physics or astronomy, PhD in astronomy or astrophysics, and usually 1-2 postdocs.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Astronomy, Physics, Astrophysics.
Growing faster than average (about 7% over 10 years). Growth figure is for physicists and astronomers combined; astronomy alone is a small field with about 2,000 US jobs.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI now finds objects in sky surveys and writes analysis code; choosing questions, telescope time and teaching stay human.
Classes: AP Physics C, AP Calculus BC, AP Computer Science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-2011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.