Employers filed 1,622 certified H-1B applications for Astronomers (19-2011) roles, requesting 1,629 workers. The average offered wage is $80,535/yr, 37% below the BLS national median ($128,820/yr). (2025, SOC 19-2011) The largest filers are AURA Space Telescope Science Institute, University of Maryland, College Park and Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy.
Source import recorded Sep 2, 2026
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) · Bulk disclosure files downloaded quarterly from DOL · Source import recorded Sep 2, 2026
What the records contain / DOL LCA disclosures
What XH1B calculates / Wage comparisons
How to read these figures
Offered and prevailing wages are employer-reported on each DOL filing, annualized to year rates. The average mixes experience levels, localities, and years.
The benchmark is the BLS Occupational Employment Statistics national median for this occupation, latest available year. An average set against a median: a few very high offers pull the average up.
A certified filing is an approved application, not a confirmed hire. These comparisons are screening measures, not wage-law findings.
Data sources & methodology ↗Signed gaps: a negative % sits below the benchmark; a positive % sits above.
Wage evidence
What filings for this occupation offer against the BLS benchmark.Offered wage vs BLS median by year
Median offered wage moved from $80,449 in 2009 to $82,746 in 2026 (year in progress). The dashed line is the BLS national median for the occupation.
Offered-wage distribution
Offered-wage percentiles (n=1,542)
Individual filings on the wage axis· 150 sampled since 2023
Each dot is one recent H-1B filing for Astronomers, positioned by offered wage and colored by outcome: gold certified, red denied, gray withdrawn. Hover a dot for the filing detail. This is a stable sample, not the full population; the tables above cover every annualized filing.
Context & calculation noteswage definitions and benchmark scope
Offered and prevailing wages are employer-reported on each DOL filing, annualized to year rates. The average mixes experience levels, localities, and years.
The benchmark is the BLS Occupational Employment Statistics national median for this occupation (U.S.), latest available year. The average is set against a median, so a few very high offers pull the average up.
The distribution and percentiles cover annualized offers only; filings with hourly or other wage units sit outside them.
A certified filing is an approved labor condition application, not a confirmed hire. The comparisons on this page are screening measures, not wage-law findings.
Data sources & methodology ↗Employers & filings
Who files, and the certified records behind every figure on this page. Filing wage badges use the latest national BLS median. Their detail shows the benchmark code and year. A mapped comparator can use a different occupation from the direct-code profile benchmark above. It is a screening comparison, not a claim that the occupations are identical.Top employers (157)
LCA filings (1,622)
University of Colorado(1 position requested)
Research Associate (Research Scientist II) - Astronomer · Boulder 80303 · 2026-03-30
Arizona State University(1 position requested)
Postdoctoral Research Scholar · Tempe 85287 · 2026-03-30
California Institute of Technology(1 position requested)
COO Staff Astronomer · Pasadena 91125 · 2026-03-30
American University(1 position requested)
Research Assistant Professor · Washington 20016 · 2026-03-26
University of Hawaii(1 position requested)
Assistant Professor · Honolulu 96822 · 2026-03-25
University of Illinois(1 position requested)
Postdoctoral Research Associate · Urbana 61801 · 2026-03-13
Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy(1 position requested)
Research Astronomer/Astrophysicist · Marina 93933 · 2026-03-10
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy(1 position requested)
Associate Science Operations Specialist · Hilo 96720 · 2026-03-09
A negative % sits below the BLS market median; a positive % sits above.
Geography
Where filings for this occupation concentrate.State filing trends (40)
One line per state plus PR, 2015 to 2026. Hover a line or a state to single it out. The list picks which states render; a state name links to its page. The latest year may be a partial period.
Per 100k residents divides a state's filings by the U.S. Census Bureau population estimate for that state and year (annual July estimates). Years after the latest published estimate carry that estimate forward.
FAQ
Questions about the data & methods
What is SOC code 19-2011?
19-2011 is the federal Standard Occupational Classification code for Astronomers. The government assigns every H-1B filing one of these codes, so filings can be studied by occupation.
How many H-1B filings are there for Astronomers?
1,622 H-1B labor condition applications name this occupation, requesting 1,629 workers, per Department of Labor disclosure records.
How much do Astronomers H-1B workers get paid?
The average wage offered on H-1B filings for this occupation is $80,535 per year. That is 37% below the BLS national median for the occupation ($128,820).
Which companies hire the most Astronomers workers on H-1B visas?
The largest filers on this page include AURA Space Telescope Science Institute, University of Maryland, College Park and Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy. The employer table ranks every employer in this occupation by filings and wage impact.
SOC code 19-2011 data sourced from DOL LCA disclosures and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics. About our sources →
Public source records and site analysis. We do not attest to accuracy. Read the full disclaimer.
Dataset guides and site methods
- [1] Dataset documentation · DOL OFLC. LCA public disclosure record layout (FY2026 Q3). Pages 1–4: application, DOL outcome and dates, requested positions, employer, representatives, worksites and pay unitsThis layout covers determinations issued October 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. It documents employer-provided application fields and DOL decisions, not USCIS decisions, payroll verification, legal bills or worker-linked moves. Older layouts can differ.Checked 2026-10-17.
- [2] Dataset documentation · BLS. OEWS technical notes (May 2025). Scope of the survey; occupational coding; concepts and estimation methodologyDocuments occupation and geographic wage estimates, not an individual worker’s pay. Use the estimate year and geography stated by the site; older releases can differ.Checked 2026-10-17.
- [3] Guidance · BLS. Standard Occupational Classification. Classification Principles 1–2 and Coding Guideline 2; job duties, not job titlesChecked 2026-10-08.
- [4] XH1B method or registry · XH1B. Calculation and Matching Methods; Reading Public Records and Derived Indicators. Filing units, annualization, weighting, wage comparisons, and inference limits; Reading records: units, source coverage, wage gaps, entity links, and inference limitsThese are the site's review methods, not validated predictions of wrongdoing. Inspect underlying records and alternative explanations.