Atmospheric Scientist / Meteorologist
Engineering
Study weather and climate — build forecasts, model storms and research how the atmosphere is changing.
Why it matters here: NOAA and federal research contractors in the DMV make this region a national hub for weather science.
Labor Market — DMV Region
Sourced from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS releases (DMV metro and nationwide) plus MD, VA, and D.C. workforce agencies.
Local cost of living is why DMV pay often differs from the national median.
- DMV & state figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — OEWS wage & employment estimates and Employment Projections, with OEWS area pay relatives for the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria metro, Maryland, D.C., and Northern Virginia · View source
- Occupation profiles & skills: O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor) · onetonline.org
All salary figures are published estimates for groups of workers, not offers or guarantees for any individual role.
Education & Career Pathways
Multiple ways to get here — pick the one that fits your life.
Career Progression
How you can grow — with expected salary at each step.
- Entry-level Atmospheric Scientist / MeteorologistLearning the role, supervised work, building core skills.$78,480
- Atmospheric Scientist / Meteorologist (experienced)Independent work, mentoring newer team members.$106,540
- Senior / Lead Atmospheric Scientist / MeteorologistOwning projects, specialization, higher responsibility.$132,980
- Manager or specialist trackSupervising a team or moving into a high-demand specialty.$159,576
Skills Required
What you'll actually do — and how you'll be judged.
Forecast offices and research labs, screen-heavy with some field work
Where you work
Forecast centers, research labs and university offices — with occasional field campaigns.
Hours and schedule
Standard weekday hours in research; forecasting roles rotate through nights and weekends.
Pace and pressure
Model runs and deadline-driven forecasts; research work is longer-cycle.
Who you work with
Meteorologists, data scientists, emergency managers and researchers.
Physical demands
Mostly desk and screen work; field projects can involve travel and instruments.
What people wear
Business casual; field gear for campaigns.
Remote reality
Hybrid common in research; forecast desks stay on site.
Workplace culture: what's normal here
- Severe weather days are all-hands events.
- Work is highly collaborative across agencies and universities.
- Publishing and presenting results is part of the culture.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Work Environment, with regional detail for the DMV.
Official data behind this career
Federal statistics for DMV Region, translated into plain language.
Data unavailable for this category.
Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV metro area
Source: U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates (tables DP03, DP02, DP05)
- The DMV functions as one labor market: workers routinely cross state lines to get to work.
- The largest employment destinations are D.C., Fairfax County and Montgomery County.
Top places these workers go to work
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — BEA regional GDP and personal income, most recent published year
Private-sector payroll data from ADP. It is a supplemental near-real-time indicator and does not replace BLS government employment statistics.
Source: ADP National Employment Report — Most recent monthly ADP National Employment Report
- 1U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH, OEWS, Employment Projections, CES) — Primary source for occupation wages, outlook, projected openings, education and training.
- 2U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey — Primary source for income, educational attainment, labor force and demographic context by place.
- 3Census LEHD (LODES / OnTheMap) — Primary source for where workers live versus where they work, and local workforce flows.
- 4U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Primary source for regional GDP, industry contribution, compensation and personal income.
- 5ADP National Employment Report — Supplemental near-real-time private-sector employment and pay indicator. Not a replacement for BLS.
Figures describe groups of workers, not any one person. Where an official figure is not published for a category, this page says “Data unavailable for this category.” rather than estimating.
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