Atmospheric and Space Scientists
Life, Physical, and Social Science · SOC 19-2021
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 19-2021 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 3.8%
- Medium · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 50/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $99,070
- H-1B offered wage $94,000; LCAs are filings.
- Projected openings
- 1,100
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +0.7%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 153
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 1,922 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
Best transitions from here
Explore all pathways→Lower AI-exposure roles that reuse your skills, ranked by a transition score (skills that transfer, safety gain, pay and retraining effort).
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~56.5% of this role but only ~3.8% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Investigate atmospheric phenomena and interpret meteorological data, gathered by surface and air stations, satellites, and radar to prepare reports and forecasts for public and other uses. Includes weather analysts and forecasters whose functions require the detailed knowledge of meteorology.
Common titles: Broadcast Meteorologist, Forecaster, General Forecaster, Hydrometeorological Technician (Hydrometeorological Tech), Meteorologist, Ocean Monitoring and Data Assimilation Scientist
Representative Tasks
- •Develop or use mathematical or computer models for weather forecasting.
- •Interpret data, reports, maps, photographs, or charts to predict long- or short-range weather conditions, using computer models and knowledge of climate theory, physics, and mathematics.
- •Conduct meteorological research into the processes or determinants of atmospheric phenomena, weather, or climate.
- •Formulate predictions by interpreting environmental data, such as meteorological, atmospheric, oceanic, paleoclimate, climate, or related information.
- •Broadcast weather conditions, forecasts, or severe weather warnings to the public via television, radio, or the Internet or provide this information to the news media.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Develop theories or models of physical phenomena.
- •Interpret research or operational data.
- •Conduct climatological research.
- •Analyze environmental data.
- •Provide technical information or assistance to public.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 3.8% | 9.7% |
| Outlook | Bright ↗ | 37% Bright |
| Median Salary | $99,070 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 96/100 | N/A |