Career comparison
Meteorologist vs. Physicist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Physicists earn more at the median ($172,250 vs. $99,070), while meteorologists usually get to work faster (4-year degree of training). Meteorologists forecast weather and study the atmosphere. Physicists study matter, energy and forces to discover how the universe works.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Meteorologist | Physicist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $99,070 ($47.63/hr) | $172,250 ($82.81/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $53,060 – $161,890 | $82,110 – $274,110 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +2.6% (about as fast as average) | +7.2% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 800 | 1,300 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 4-year degree | 5–7 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | CBM | Ph.D. |
| Work setting | Meteorologists work in forecast offices, TV studios and labs.. | Physicists work in labs and offices at national labs, universities and companies.. |
What each job does
Meteorologist
- Analyze weather data
- Run forecast models
- Issue forecasts
- Issue warnings
- Study climate
Physicist
- Design experiments
- Build models
- Analyze data
- Develop technology
- Write papers
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with information, problem-solving, and high-pay. Both are part of the science, engineering & lab field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose meteorologist if…
- I love weather
- I like math and physics
- I can make quick decisions
Choose physicist if…
- I love physics
- I like math
- I like experiments
Still torn? Take the Meteorologist fit quiz and the Physicist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, meteorologist or physicist?
Physicists earn more at the median: $172,250 versus $99,070 for meteorologists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Meteorologists typically train faster (4-year degree) than physicists (5–7 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects physicists to grow +7.2% from 2025–35, compared with +2.6% for meteorologists.