How much money do astronomers make?
It varies some, but a typical starting salary for an assistant professor of astronomy is $45,000 to $50,000 for 9 months. A person who took a direct route through graduate school and then two postdoctoral appointments would be employable at this level by age 33 or so, 16 years after graduating from high school. Post-doctoral positions typically pay in the mid $30’s and graduate students can eke out a salary from $10K to $20K as a teaching or research assistant. While few get rich from astronomy, most who get jobs are financially comfortable.
