Meteorology

Types of Degrees Meteorology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many atmospheric sciences & meteorology graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	828
Master’s Degree	258
Doctor’s Degree	136
Basic Certificate	53
Graduate Certificate	13

What Meteorology Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, meteorology majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Meteorology Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in meteorology should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
• Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

Skills for Meteorology Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to meteorology:

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Abilities for Meteorology Majors

As a meteorology major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Meteorology Major?

People with a meteorology degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Atmospheric and Space Scientists	12.5%	$94,110
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Professors	9.9%	$90,860
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Meteorology?

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 755 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in atmospheric sciences & meteorology in 2021, making it rank #182 in popularity. This major tends to be male dominated. About 61% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of meteorology majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	20
Black or African American	37
Hispanic or Latino	68
White	629
International Students	11
Other Races/Ethnicities	63

Geographic Diversity

Meteorology appeals to people across the globe. About 1.3% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Meteorology

Some degrees associated with meteorology may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to meteorology have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Some College Courses	1.2%
Bachelor’s Degree	25.4%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	4.7%
Master’s Degree	33.4%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	1.5%
Doctoral Degree	24.8%
Post-Doctoral Training	9.4%

Online Meteorology Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	1	1
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	13	2
Bachelor’s Degree	6	3
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	48	0
Post-Master’s	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	42	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Meteorology

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to meteorology.

Major	Number of Grads
Chemistry	19,976
Physics	13,306
Geological & Earth Sciences	7,691
General Physical Sciences	2,747
Astronomy & Astrophysics	1,573
Materials Sciences	679
Other Physical Science	404
Physics and Astronomy	45

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.