Life & Physical Science
Planetary Scientists
SOC 19-2099
Study planets, moons, and solar system bodies to understand their formation.
The job
Median pay
$123k
$87k to $162k typical range
Outlook, 2025 to 2035
Growing
+2.1% projected
Openings a year
1k
BLS projection
Typical education
Doctoral
Our model
AI displacement risk
High
How much of this job AI may do instead of the person
Works with AI
3/100
AI alongside the person rather than instead of them
AI exposure
72nd pct
More exposed than 72% of occupations · modeled estimate · 60th pct in Microsoft's data
Future-proof
54/100
Key skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Science
Pay and jobs by state
BLS OEWS May 2025, 51 states. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.
| State | Jobs | Per 1,000 | vs national | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 2,320 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $131k |
| Texas | 2,310 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $101k |
| Maryland | 1,810 | 0.7 | 4.6× | $141k |
| New York | 1,510 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $118k |
| Virginia | 1,450 | 0.4 | 2.5× | $127k~ |
| Indiana | 1,240 | 0.4 | 2.7× | $69k |
| Georgia | 1,020 | 0.2 | 1.4× | $138k |
| Washington DC | 790 | 1.1 | 7.8× | $157k |
| Colorado | 710 | 0.2 | 1.7× | $134k |
| North Carolina | 650 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $110k |
All 51 states
| State | Jobs | Per 1,000 | vs national | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 590 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $110k |
| Illinois | 580 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $109k |
| Minnesota | 540 | 0.2 | 1.3× | $148k |
| Pennsylvania | 460 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $135k |
| Washington | 450 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $134k |
| Ohio | 430 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $109k |
| Mississippi | 380 | 0.3 | 2.3× | $109k |
| Connecticut | 370 | 0.2 | 1.5× | $100k |
| Massachusetts | 350 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $138k |
| Missouri | 346 | 0.1 | 0.8× | $113k~ |
| Florida | 340 | 0.0 | 0.2× | $132k |
| Oregon | 290 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $110k |
| Louisiana | 280 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $94k |
| Kentucky | 260 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $81k |
| Utah | 250 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $116k |
| New Mexico | 240 | 0.3 | 1.9× | $124k |
| New Hampshire | 210 | 0.3 | 2.1× | $112k |
| Idaho | 190 | 0.2 | 1.6× | $100k~ |
| Kansas | 190 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $108k~ |
| Arizona | 170 | 0.1 | 0.4× | $125k |
| Nevada | 167 | 0.1 | 0.8× | $119k~ |
| Alabama | 140 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $135k |
| Alaska | 140 | 0.4 | 3.0× | $120k |
| Michigan | 130 | 0.0 | 0.2× | $119k |
| Tennessee | 120 | 0.0 | 0.3× | $130k |
| Arkansas | 118 | 0.1 | 0.6× | $93k~ |
| West Virginia | 110 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $102k~ |
| Hawaii | 100 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $113k |
| Iowa | 100 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $81k |
| Montana | 100 | 0.2 | 1.4× | $95k |
| Delaware | 93 | 0.2 | 1.3× | $125k~ |
| Maine | 85 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $112k~ |
| Oklahoma | 80 | 0.0 | 0.3× | $112k |
| South Dakota | 71 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $97k~ |
| North Dakota | 70 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $148k |
| Rhode Island | 70 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $132k~ |
| South Carolina | 70 | 0.0 | 0.2× | $141k |
| Wisconsin | 70 | 0.0 | 0.2× | $97k |
| Wyoming | 60 | 0.2 | 1.5× | $69k |
| Vermont | 49 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $112k~ |
| Nebraska | 40 | 0.0 | 0.3× | $101k |
Top metro areas
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV2,740 jobs · $171k median
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA930 jobs · $138k median
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ860 jobs · $140k median
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA820 jobs · $136k median
- Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY780 jobs · $99k median
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX700 jobs · $134k median
- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD570 jobs · $108k median
- Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN560 jobs · $67k median
Explore the rankings
Explore Planetary Scientists interactively →Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.