General Meteorology

Types of Degrees General Meteorology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many general 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	560
Master’s Degree	223
Doctor’s Degree	123
Basic Certificate	49

What General Meteorology Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to general meteorology were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for General Meteorology Majors

General Meteorology majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• 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 General Meteorology Majors

When studying general meteorology, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• 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.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for General Meteorology Majors

As a general 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 General Meteorology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with general meteorology:

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 General Meteorology?

This major attracts more men than women. About 61% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	15
Black or African American	31
Hispanic or Latino	47
White	420
International Students	7
Other Races/Ethnicities	40

Geographic Diversity

General 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 General Meteorology

Some careers associated with general meteorology require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for general meteorology careers below.

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 General 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	1	0
Bachelor’s Degree	4	2
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	39	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	36	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to General Meteorology

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

Major	Number of Grads
Meteorology	268
Other Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology	51
Atmospheric Chemistry & Climatology	14
Atmospheric Physics & Dynamics	0

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.