---

Planetary Astronomy & Science

Types of Degrees Planetary Astronomy & Science Majors Are Earning

Those studying Planetary Astronomy & Science can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	38
Master’s Degree	29
Doctor’s Degree	23

What Planetary Astronomy & Science Majors Need to Know

Studies in Planetary Astronomy & Science develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Planetary Astronomy & Science graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Planetary Astronomy & Science emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Planetary Astronomy & Science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Planetary Astronomy & Science careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Planetary Astronomy & Science graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Planetary Astronomy & Science professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	✓
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Planetary Astronomy & Science graduates include:

• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Geochemistry Teacher
• Physical Sciences Instructor
• Oceanology Teacher
• Geology Teacher
• Geomorphology Teacher
• Petrography Teacher
• Hydrometeorology Teacher
• Oceanography Professor
• Mineralogy Teacher
• University Faculty Member
• Geosciences Faculty Member
• Lecturer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Planetary Astronomy & Science graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	27.8%
Master’s degree	25.3%
Doctoral degree	19.0%
Post-doctoral training	11.7%
Postsecondary certificate	4.0%
Some college courses	3.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.9%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.3%
Post-master’s certificate	1.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Planetary Astronomy & Science?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 50% women and 50% men among Planetary Astronomy & Science graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	45	50.0%
Men	45	50.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Planetary Astronomy & Science graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	56	62.2%
Asian	5	5.6%
Hispanic or Latino	13	14.4%
Two or More Races	3	3.3%
Race Unknown	5	5.6%
International Students	8	8.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Planetary Astronomy & Science Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Planetary Astronomy & Science graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$41,600
4 years	$50,573
5 years	$61,687

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $61,687 — roughly 48% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Planetary Astronomy & Science Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for Planetary Astronomy & Science. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Planetary Astronomy & Science Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Planetary Astronomy & Science graduates earn a median of $50,573 four years after completion — roughly 33% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Astronomy and Astrophysics	40.02
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Other	40.0299
Astronomy	40.0201
Astrophysics	40.0202
Physics and Astronomy	40.1101
Atmospheric Chemistry and Climatology	40.0402
Atmospheric Physics and Dynamics	40.0403
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General	40.0401
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Other	40.0499
Geochemistry and Petrology	40.0606
Geochemistry	40.0602

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.