How much money does an astrophysicist make?

The pay for Astrophysicist positions ranges from $55,000 to $93,000 annually depending on the specific employer. For example, an astrophysicist who works for the Smithsonian makes around $57,000, while an astrophysicist working for the US Navy makes $131,000.

Astrophysicists are in demand in numerous facets of the economy. Some astrophysicists go to work for the government, while others stay in the private sector or in research and development. Others even decide to become teachers. This leads to a rather large disparity in the pay for an astrophysicist due to the large disparity in compensation between government, private sector and teaching roles.