---

Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics

Types of Degrees Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Doctor’s Degree	1

What Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics Majors Need to Know

Studies in Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

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

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics 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.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics graduates report doing:

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

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	✓
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics graduates include:

• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Clinical Trials Manager
• Geosciences Faculty Member
• Climatology Teacher
• Oceanology Teacher
• Mineralogy Teacher
• Assistant Professor
• Adjunct Professor
• Physical Sciences Instructor
• Geophysics Professor
• Space Studies Faculty Member
• Meteorology Professor
• Geology Teacher
• Oceanography Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	31.6%
Master’s degree	26.6%
Doctoral degree	14.7%
Post-doctoral training	10.2%
Postsecondary certificate	4.2%
Some college courses	3.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.6%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.4%
Post-master’s certificate	1.4%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics?

Gender Distribution

How Much Do Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics 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	$40,631
4 years	$52,102
5 years	$61,596

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $61,596 — roughly 52% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics graduates earn a median of $52,102 four years after completion — roughly 37% 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
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology	40.04
Atmospheric Chemistry and Climatology	40.0402
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General	40.0401
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Other	40.0499
Meteorology	40.0404
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Other	40.0299
Astronomy	40.0201
Astrophysics	40.0202
Geochemistry and Petrology	40.0606
Geochemistry	40.0602
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other	40.0699

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.