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A Question About Astronomer Education, Work Hours and Salary

-- | July 28, 2016

Question: Hi! I’m Maria and I am 11 and a half. I want to know how many years of college would I have to go to become an astronomer and what degrees I need. I [also] want to know what is an astronomer’s salary every two weeks and how many hours they work. — Maria

Answer: The Careers in Astronomy section of this blog has quite a few answers to questions such as yours. In general, most astronomers have doctorate degrees in astronomy, physics, or another physical science. This requires at least five years of study beyond the Bachelor’s degree. As for the hours that astronomers work, I would say that most astronomers work somewhat long hours but often have quite a bit of flexibility in the work that they do. The salaries that astronomers earn are not high, but are sufficient.

Jeff Mangum

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