Astronomers Salary in California - FY2025 DOL Data

DOL Median (California)

$75,500

vs National

+7.9%

National: $70,000

BLS Median (area)

N/A

COL-Adjusted

$54,513

Purchasing power equiv.

Salary Comparison

This Location (DOL)

$75,500

+7.9% vs national

National Average (DOL)

$70,000

Baseline

BLS Estimate (This Area)

N/A

No comparison

Purchasing Power Analysis

A Astronomers in California earns $75,500 in nominal terms, which is 7.9% above the national average of $70,000. After adjusting for the local cost of living (index 138.5 vs national 100), this is equivalent to $54,513 in national-average purchasing power.

Tax differences are not included. Only cost-of-living index adjustments are applied.

Top Employers in California

Employer	Median Salary	Filings
CALTECH JET PROPULSION LABORATORY	$137,696	2
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory	$124,392	1
California Institute of Technology/Jet Propulsion Laboratory	$117,984	11
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY/JET PROPULSION	$104,390	8
San Jose State University Research Foundation	$96,867	1
SETI Institute	$95,400	10
ASSOC. OF UNIVERSITIES FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY /	$87,215	10
THE SETI INSTITUTE	$86,216	1
Leland Stanford Jr. Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab	$83,945	2
Bay Area Environmental Research Institute	$81,355	29
Universities Space Research Association	$80,487	4
University of California, Santa Cruz	$72,450	6
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD, JR. UNIVERSITY	$71,000	14
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD, JR.	$70,000	1
California Institute of Technology	$70,000	39
University of California, Berkeley	$69,250	40
LAS CUMBRES OBSERVATORY GLOBAL TELESCOPE NETWORK	$69,203	3
University of California, Los Angeles	$68,900	14
Carnegie Institution of Washington	$66,000	3
National Radio Astronomy Observatory	$63,240	23

Explore More

All Astronomers data All salaries in California Best cities for this role

Top-Paying Metros for Astronomers

MT HAMILTON, CA · $108,300 Baltimore, MA · $98,911 Greenbelt, MA · $96,611 Mountain View, CA · $95,400 Palo Alto, CA · $89,000

Top-Paying Roles in California

Cardiologists · $600,000 Physicians, All Other · $301,642 General Internal Medicine Physicians · $300,000 Pediatricians, General · $254,000 Psychiatrists · $237,350

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Astronomers make in California?

The median Astronomers salary in California is $75,500 based on 150 DOL filings.

Is California a good place to work as a Astronomers?

A Astronomers in California earns 7.9% more than the national median of $70,000, or $54,513 after adjusting for the local cost of living.

Job Search

Find Open Positions

Browse current openings and compare them against the government-filed salary data above.

Search on Indeed Search on ZipRecruiter

Advertising disclosure

Source: US Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) public disclosure files (PERM Form ETA-9089 and LCA Form ETA-9035), and US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Salary figures represent employer filings and government survey estimates, not individual worker pay.