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Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology at State University of New York at Albany

NY · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 40.04

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology degree from State University of New York at Albany earn a median salary of $62,976 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $47,709. The degree typically pays for itself in 8.2 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$42,878

Typical Career

$62,976

Top Performers

$78,481

Estimated break-even: 8.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$420

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,248. Most students can comfortably afford about a $420 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 16.4%
Health Care & Social Assistance 16.3%
Educational Services 12.6%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$47,709

Nominal: $62,976 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% lower purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

8.2 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $25,925 $32,616 $40,178
5 Years After Graduation $42,878 $62,976 $78,481
10 Years After Graduation $61,703 $86,969 $109,537

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $62,976 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $62,976 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200) = $47,709 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology from the State University of New York at Albany experience a positive earnings trajectory over time. With median earnings of $32,616 one year after graduation, this figure increases significantly to $62,976 five years later, and reaches $86,969 after ten years. However, considering the cost of living in New York, the purchasing-power-adjusted median earnings five years post-graduation stand at approximately $47,709.09, indicating that while earnings grow, the relative purchasing power may be impacted by the higher cost of living.

The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (16.4%), Health Care & Social Assistance (16.3%), and Educational Services (12.6%), suggesting a diverse range of career opportunities. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 8.2 years, indicating that graduates can expect a return on their investment in education within a reasonable timeframe. Overall, while the initial earnings may be modest, the long-term financial benefits and varied career options present a favorable outlook for students in this field.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology degree at State University of New York at Albany stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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