Atmospheric and Space Scientists pay range in Boulder
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $81,170 a year or less, while the top 10% make $184,040 or more. The middle half of atmospheric and space scientists in Boulder earn between $86,500 and $161,060.
- $81K10th
- $86K25th
- $122KMedian
- $161K75th
- $184K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $123,680 | $10,307 | $59.46 |
| Median | $121,870 | $10,156 | $58.59 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $86,500 | $7,208 | $41.59 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $161,060 | $13,422 | $77.43 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Atmospheric and Space Scientists salary after taxes in Boulder
On the average salary of $123,680, a single filer in Boulder takes home about $91,068 a year, or $7,589 a month and $3,503 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Boulder a good place for atmospheric and space scientists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boulder area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.2), so the average $123,680 buys what about $117,564 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Boulder ($69,580). A typical home costs $727,954, or 5.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Atmospheric and Space Scientists salary in other Colorado cities
Boulder ranks 1st of 4 Colorado metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Boulder$123,680
- Colorado Springs$113,080
- Fort Collins$112,630
- Denver$96,750
Highest-paying cities for atmospheric and space scientists
Chicago, IL pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($182,890).
- Chicago, IL$182,890
- New York, NY$172,010
- San Francisco, CA$164,020
- Albany, NY$130,860
- Indianapolis, IN$130,690
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Atmospheric and Space Scientists salary in Boulder: questions
How much do atmospheric and space scientists make an hour in Boulder?
$59.46 an hour on average, and $58.59 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level atmospheric and space scientists salary in Boulder?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $81,170 a year and the 25th percentile is $86,500, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the atmospheric and space scientists take-home pay in Boulder?
About $91,068 a year ($7,589 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $123,680. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do atmospheric and space scientists earn more in Boulder than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($113,793).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-2021; area Boulder, CO (14500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 50.38, this job is 50.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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