While we found no information on how much he's earning, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for atmospheric scientists, including meteorologists was $89,820 in May 2015.
At a television station, there are three or four meteorologists to cover the newscasts during the week. The chief meteorologist is the head of the team and gets the highest pay.
In a top 10 market, the chief meteorologist, like Tony Petrarca, may make $400,000 or considerably more.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $50,630, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $132,180.
In May 2015, the median annual wages for atmospheric scientists, including meteorologists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
Federal government $99,920
Television broadcasting 88,060
Professional, scientific, and technical services 87,370
Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private 71,010
Tony Petrarca joined WPRI-TV in March of 1987 and has 30 years of experience studying and forecasting New England weather. He is a member of the American Meteorological Society and holds the Society’s highest standards for a television meteorologist with the “A.M.S. Broadcast Seal Of Approval” award. In 2012, he was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Silver Circle in recognition of his 25 years as a meteorologist.
Tip! Find out how to become an atmospheric scientist and meteorologists from Bureau of Labor Statistics.