However, funding for astronomy is limited, largely because of the small scope of applications in this field of science. 2016 Salary Information for Physicists and Astronomers. Physicists and astronomers earned a median annual salary of $114,750 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, physicists and astronomers earned a 25th percentile salary of $81,680, meaning 75 percent earned more than this amount. The 75th percentile salary is $153,060, meaning 25 percent earn more.