Ballistics Analysts vs Planetary Scientists
Median pay is about $60k higher for Planetary Scientists. The usual entry education is bachelor's for Ballistics Analysts and doctoral for Planetary Scientists.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Ballistics Analysts | Planetary Scientists |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $62,280 | $122,570, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $48,030 | $86,620, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $79,780 | $161,890, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +4.4% Growing fast, higher | +2.1% Growing |
| Openings a year | 11,200 | 1,400 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Bachelor's | Doctoral |
| Difficulty modeled | 3 / 5 | 3 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | High | High |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 72nd pct | 72nd pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Ballistics Analysts
- Monitoring
Only Planetary Scientists
- Science
Both lean on reading comprehension, critical thinking, active listening, speaking, writing.
More comparisons
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.