Astronomers

SOC code 19-2011 · 428 certified H-1B positions, FY2023–FY2026.

428
certified positions
$82,090
Median pay
$72,400
25th pct
$100,615
75th pct
$115,720
90th pct
$65,000
10th pct
Estimates from public U.S. Department of Labor records — wages are employer-attested offered wages, not verified salaries paid; counts are filings, not people. Not legal, financial, or career advice. See our disclaimer & terms.
Data: DOL filings FY2023–FY2026 (through June 2026) · Page updated October 2026
$63,565
Median prevailing wage
$65,000$82,090 median$115,720

Quarterly median pay 2022-Q4 → 2026-Q2 · ▼ 4.1%

2022-Q4: $81,474 (27 positions)2023-Q1: $79,920 (22 positions)2023-Q2: $80,164 (34 positions)2023-Q3: $79,500 (31 positions)2023-Q4: $80,072 (16 positions)2024-Q1: $82,090 (26 positions)2024-Q2: $81,404 (31 positions)2024-Q3: $81,996 (27 positions)2024-Q4: $97,500 (28 positions)2025-Q1: $84,750 (36 positions)2025-Q2: $83,785 (36 positions)2025-Q3: $83,496 (34 positions)2025-Q4: $90,015 (23 positions)2026-Q1: $81,877 (21 positions)2026-Q2: $78,138 (36 positions)2022-Q42026-Q2$100,404$75,234

Wage-level mix DOL prevailing-wage levels on these filings

Level I · Entry — 272 (71%), med $77,000Level II · Qualified — 77 (20%), med $90,000Level III · Experienced — 17 (4%), med $110,451Level IV · Fully competent — 17 (4%), med $133,312

Top employers hiring

EmployerPositionsMedian
National Radio Astronomy Observatory23$83,491
University of Colorado22$92,294
AURASPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INSTITUTE21$113,224
Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii18$79,841
ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITIES FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY16$89,801
The University of Arizona15$75,000
University of Michigan14$81,650
The Trustees of Princeton University12$80,750
University of California, Berkeley12$110,050
Massachusetts Institute of Technology11$77,917
University of Maryland College Park11$81,690
SMITHSONIAN ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY11$103,717
University of Maryland, Baltimore County9$103,672
University of California, Santa Cruz9$95,481
University of Chicago9$81,997

Top states

StatePositions
California65
Maryland59
Hawaii37
Illinois35
Colorado34
Massachusetts28
Arizona25
New York18
New Mexico18
Michigan14
New Jersey13
Virginia12
Texas9
Florida8
Pennsylvania8

Estimates from public U.S. Department of Labor records — wages are employer-attested offered wages, not verified salaries paid. Not legal, financial, or career advice. Full disclaimer