Salaries of Astronomers

jsp

unread,

Nov 17, 2003, 3:44:26 PM11/17/03

to

During the past two years, the salaries of
most scientists have dropped significantly. However,
those of astronomers have matched inflation.
See
http://www.jupiterscientific.org/sciinfo/sciencesalaries.html

--------------------------------------------------------------
Jupiter Scientific -- dedicated to the promotion of science
and scientific education through books, the internet,
and other means of communication
http://www.jupiterscientific.org

tho...@antispam.ham

unread,

Nov 17, 2003, 4:12:04 PM11/17/03

to

jsp writes:

> During the past two years, the salaries of
> most scientists have dropped significantly. However,
> those of astronomers have matched inflation.
> See
> http://www.jupiterscientific.org/sciinfo/sciencesalaries.html

No industrial jobs in astronomy???

I know some astronomers who work for Boeing, for example.

lal_truckee

unread,

Nov 17, 2003, 4:48:50 PM11/17/03

to

tho...@antispam.ham wrote:

Indeed. I suspect "Astronomers" employed as industrial physicists
account for the high salary reported; just as I call myself a
mathematician sometimes, for old time's sake, a graduate Astronomer
would likely refer to himself as an Astronomer in these surveys.
However, viewing these statistics, I once again congratulate myself on
becoming a software jock instead of attempting a career applying
mathematics ...

I also suspect, rather than an actual salary drop for scientists, the
data is representing a preferential layoff in the older, higher paid,
ranks. I'd like to see more comprehensive statistics.

Dick Justice

unread,

Nov 17, 2003, 4:54:13 PM11/17/03

to

"jsp" <jspu...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:f2fbd428.03111...@posting.google.com...

> During the past two years, the salaries of
> most scientists have dropped significantly. However,
> those of astronomers have matched inflation.
> See
> http://www.jupiterscientific.org/sciinfo/sciencesalaries.html
>

I wonder how much those who specialize in planetary awareness techniques
make? Welfare maybe?

username

unread,

Nov 17, 2003, 5:13:25 PM11/17/03

to

"lal_truckee" <lal_t...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bpbemq$1mipfa$1...@ID-90251.news.uni-berlin.de...

> tho...@antispam.ham wrote:
>
> > jsp writes:
> >
> >
> >>During the past two years, the salaries of
> >>most scientists have dropped significantly. However,
> >>those of astronomers have matched inflation.
> >>See
> >>http://www.jupiterscientific.org/sciinfo/sciencesalaries.html
> >
> >
> > No industrial jobs in astronomy???
> >
> > I know some astronomers who work for Boeing, for example.
>
> Indeed. I suspect "Astronomers" employed as industrial physicists
> account for the high salary reported; just as I call myself a
> mathematician sometimes, for old time's sake, a graduate Astronomer
> would likely refer to himself as an Astronomer in these surveys.
> However, viewing these statistics, I once again congratulate myself on
> becoming a software jock instead of attempting a career applying
> mathematics ...

I hear what you say, being a PhD myself (mathematics). I now work in the
software industrie, which earns me more than enough money for my astronomy
hobby.... BUT: I do miss the academic environment a lot...

R. Martin

unread,

Nov 17, 2003, 9:51:44 PM11/17/03

to

We constantly debate such things in sci.research.careers and you're
right, we need better statistics. Most such studies appear to be
surveys by professional organizations of their memberships and I
doubt would past muster in terms of sampling methodology, etc. I
wonder if statistical or actuarial organizations use better
methodology? :-)

Regards,
Russell

Michael A. Covington

unread,

Nov 18, 2003, 1:16:24 AM11/18/03

to

Apart from a few in the aerospace industry, is there any reason to assume
astronomers' salaries are different from other college faculty?

Do they give the range as well as the average?

(As I say about the weather around here: The mean temperature is very mild,
but the standard deviation will kill you!)

John F. Carr

unread,

Nov 19, 2003, 6:44:14 PM11/19/03

to

In article <f2fbd428.03111...@posting.google.com>,

jsp <jspu...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>During the past two years, the salaries of
>most scientists have dropped significantly. However,
>those of astronomers have matched inflation.
>See
>http://www.jupiterscientific.org/sciinfo/sciencesalaries.html

Notice the narrow range of salaries for job title "Astronomer":

25th percentile $81K
50th percentile $82K
75th percentile $95K

I think that's a sign of a poor or small sample. Note that unlike
other professions astronomy isn't subdivided by experience, maybe
because they didn't have a big enough sample.

--
John Carr (j...@mit.edu)