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How to Become An Astronomer (2026)
Key takeaway: Astronomers are the occupation this space studies guide treats as the primary outcome. The national median annual wage was $128,820, with the 10th percentile at $78,010 and the 90th at $195,190 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 1,800 in 2024, projected to grow 2.2 percent through 2034, with 100 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Individual outcomes vary. Astronomer is a tiny occupation (BLS: 1,800 employed in 2024). Most space-studies bachelor's graduates work in operations, policy, education, or contractor analyst seats, not at a telescope. Aerospace engineer wages are listed so you can see the engineering alternative, not because this CIP produces that license.
The BLS occupation used on this page is Astronomers (SOC 19-2011). Job ads use other titles. Read the duties.
Step-by-step: how to become an astronomer
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Confirm the occupation, not the vibe. Read a handful of live postings and match duties to astronomers, not to the degree title.
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Check the real gate. There is no programmatic accreditor for space studies. ABET accredits aerospace engineering, which is a different CIP (14.02) and a different silo family. Institutional accreditation is the check. Astronomer and physicist jobs at the research end want a PhD.
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Pick the degree level that the postings actually ask for. Compare the bachelor’s and master’s pages. In IPEDS 2024, 115 institutions reported bachelor’s-or-higher completions in the CIP codes used for this guide, and 83 of those institutions reported offering distance-education programs (IPEDS 2024).
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Build the portfolio, hours, clearance, or license the job uses. It is not flight training, not astronaut selection, and not an ABET engineering degree. If you want to design spacecraft, you want aerospace engineering and the FE/PE path described on the engineering pages.
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Use the wage range, not the median, when you decide. The 10th percentile is $78,010 and the 90th is $195,190 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Geography and employer type move this number more than the brand on the diploma.
View the data behind this chart
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $78,010 |
| 25th percentile | $99,920 |
| Median | $128,820 |
| 75th percentile | $166,000 |
| 90th percentile | $195,190 |
See all careers for a space studies degree.
Data verified: September 7, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.