Also called: National Weather Service Meteorologist, Operational Meteorologist
Forecasts the weather and issues warnings for storms, floods, and heat.
At a National Weather Service office, you work rotating shifts, studying radar and models and issuing tornado warnings that send alerts to phones. Some days are calm; others save lives.
BLS median for atmospheric scientists including meteorologists.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in meteorology or atmospheric science with required math and physics courses.
Ways in: 4-year college, Military. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Meteorology, Atmospheric Science.
Growing slowly (about 1% over 10 years).
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. AI weather models now produce strong forecasts; forecasters shift to judging warnings and briefing officials, with fewer openings.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Calculus, Earth science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-2021.
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.