What Can I Do With a Major In Atmospheric Sciences?

UGA Specific Information for Atmospheric Sciences

The Atmospheric Sciences major addresses the needs of students interested in studying meteorology or climate science. With the appropriate selection of electives, the major meets the federal civil service requirements for employment as a meteorologist and the American Meteorological Society recommended curriculum. Former students now work in several fields, including operational meteorology, broadcast meteorology, environmental consulting, emergency management, and the energy industry. Federal and state government meteorologists (NWS, NOAA, EPA, NASA, DOI, DOT, state agencies, etc.), broadcast meteorology production, environmental/atmospheric science consulting and services, aviation industry (e.g., Delta Air Lines, UPS, FAA, National Transportation Safety Board), other private industry (agriculture, food and product services, energy, transportation, forensics), climate and climate services are all career possibilities. 

Taken from UGA Bulletin.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW EMPLOYERS/POSITION TITLES and GRADUATE SCHOOLS/PROGRAMS REPORTED FOR THIS MAJOR

Class of 2024 Career Outcomes for Atmospheric Sciences*

** Includes Self-Employed

Campus Resources

Career Consulting

  • The Career Center offers in-person, phone, and virtual career coaching appointments. To schedule an appointment, please do so through your Handshake account or call (706) 542-3375. 

  • Drop-In Hours are great if you have a question or if you aren’t sure where to start. Drop-in hours are available Monday - Friday from 11 AM - 2 PM. Further information can be found at career.uga.edu/appointments. 

Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Certificate Programs

Academic:

Non-Academic:

Department of Geography

Double Dawgs Programs

Involvement Network

Study Away

Additional UGA Career Center Recommendations

Find alumni on LinkedIn who have graduated from UGA with their Atmospheric Sciences degree. See what they are currently doing and how they got there! Join LinkedIn groups that are related to your career interest. Review the groups that professionals in your field of interest have joined and consider joining them as well.

Researching Careers: Regardless of the career that you desire to pursue, talking with professionals in that field is essential and can help validate your decisions. Use the Informational Interview guidelines in the UGA Career Guide to learn more about how to connect with individuals in your areas of interest.

Graduate School: If you are interested in going to graduate school, check out these Getting Into Graduate School resources on the UGA Career Center’s website. For additional graduate school help, meet with your Career Consultant at the UGA Career Center.

Skills and Additonal Majors: According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS): “Employment of atmospheric scientists is projected to grow 8 percent from 2018 to 2028, faster than the average for all occupations. The best job prospects for atmospheric scientists will be in private industry.”-- [url=http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/atmospheric-scientists-including-meteorologists.htm]http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/atmospheric-scientists-including-meteorologists.htm[/url]. The average salary for meteorologists in Georgia outpaces the nationwide average by 9% ([url=http://salarybystate.org/tag/demand-for-meteorologist-2013]http://salarybystate.org/tag/demand-for-meteorologist-2013[/url]). Local and regional employers like Delta Airlines, Southern Company, and Coca Cola employ meteorologists and atmospheric scientists. The private sector represents an area of significant growth in this field and the state of Georgia will need to keep pace. As BLS notes, there is significant growth opportunity in the private sector (airlines, consulting, reinsurance, air quality, agriculture, media, digital media, etc.). Additionally, because it is recommended that our students also attain the Geography degree, our students are trained with broad skills in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and social sciences. The American Association of Geographers (AAG) recently reported that median salaries and job growth for geography continue to outpace the average in other disciplines.

The Forage: Free Online Job Simulations

Additional Career Research Resources

  • O*NET Online – The O*NET database includes information on skills, abilities, knowledge, work activities, and interests associated with over 900 occupations.  
  • My Next Move – An interactive tool for students and job seekers to learn more about their career options.  
  • Occupational Outlook Handbook – The OOH is a career resource offering information on the hundreds of occupations that provide most of jobs in the United States.  
  • UGA Mentor Program – Connect with a mentor (alumni, faculty, staff) to research and explore industries and careers. Research industries and careers by connecting with a mentor for a quick chat or formal 16-week mentorship through the UGA Mentor Program.  
  • Interstride- Interstride is an interactive tool for both international and domestic students to enhance their international experience and employment potential. The platform consists of job-listings, hiring trends, employer information, self-assessments, and up-to-date immigration guidance. 
  • Glassdoor - Glassdoor is a free jobs and career community that offers an inside look at jobs and companies through "employee generated content" – anonymous salaries, company reviews, interview questions, and more – all posted by employees and job seekers.  
  • Steppingblocks - Research your future career with real-world stats about your major, your interests, and your dream job title with career and education searches designed to find your best path based on millions of others. It’s data-powered career exploration for doers like you.

Employment Websites

GENERAL:

  • Handshake (scroll down to the bottom of the page; login with your UGA MyID and password)  

  • LinkedIn (this popular networking site also has a job board!) 

  • Idealist (non-profit jobs) 

  • USAJobs (federal jobs) 

MAJOR/CAREER SPECIFIC:

Professional Associations/Resources

Employers/Position Titles Reported by Class of 2024 Atmospheric Sciences Majors

The information below represents employers and position titles from the Class of 2024 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.

Employer Position Title(s)
13 WMAZ News Meteorologist
The Weather Channel Weather Producer
WBRZ Weather Meteorologist
* denotes no responses received.
*Source: Areas above marked with an Asterisk (*) have been created utilizing data taken from the UGA Career Outcomes Survey. The "Employers Hiring...," "Job Titles of...," "Career Outcomes for...," and "Graduate/Professional Schools and Programs..." information listed above represent UGA Class of 2024 Graduates. The lists are not exhaustive and therefore do not represent all potential career options. Click here for more detailed Career Outcomes information regarding this major.
Graduate/Professional Schools Attended by Class of 2024 Atmospheric Sciences Majors

The information below represents graduate/professional schools and programs reported through the Class of 2024 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.

Graduate School Program(s)
University of Georgia Program Not Specified, Bachelor’s
* denotes no responses received.

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