Survey names Oklahoma weather career in top 20 ‘coolest’ jobs in the US
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- A Career.io survey ranked NOAA meteorologist as the “coolest” job in Oklahoma.
- The survey highlighted the job’s exciting aspects, such as deploying radar trucks and launching weather balloons.
- Nationally, NOAA meteorologist ranked ninth, with animator for Pixar taking the top spot.
The Norman National Weather Service station has been pivotal in American weather history, and a new study shows that it’s home to the “coolest career” in the state and possibly the country.
A survey conducted by Career.io named a NOAA meteorologist at the NWS as the coolest job to have statewide, at least to the 3,002 respondents. While detecting storms and thunder is at the top of the list, another type of Thunder study is in second place.
Career.io is an all-in-one platform for career guidance and success that helps users find jobs they “envy most” by looking through a list of jobs throughout the country and asking them to name the coolest careers in each area and the country.
“These roles aren’t just jobs—they’re the kind of careers that spark imagination and shape industries,” says Amanda Augustine, career expert at career.io. “From spaceflight to chocolate science, this list shows how passion, science, and the right employer can create opportunities that truly excite people.”
Here’s what else the survey found about Oklahoma jobs.
Meteorologist named coolest job in Oklahoma
The survey found that working at the NOAA’s storm lab in Norman is one of the coolest jobs in the state and the ninth coolest in the country.
Some factors Career.io included mention deploying radar trucks, launching balloons and improving models that save the lives of others.
Related: The employees at the NOAA have continued work despite the DOGE cuts looming.
“It’s science under pressure, with real-world, real-time consequences. For weather geeks who love drama in the skies, this job offers thrills, impact, and tales that wow at every dinner party,” the organization wrote.
It was also noted that the average salary for the job sits between $85,000 and $95,000.
OKC Thunder analyst and Boeing round out the top
While the survey pointed to NOAA for the thunder in the sky, being a data scientist for the OKC Thunder is the second coolest job in the state and the top 30 for the nation. Data scientists with the Thunder are a part of the team’s Human and Player Performance department.
The Thunder’s data scientists crunch the numbers, build predictive models and provide coaches with stats that can inform better play strategies for upcoming games. At their core, the job mixes basketball strategy with math as employees take their work from the desk to the court.
The Boeing system engineers who design military and commercial jets are coming in third. Their job includes juggling air travel science with safety standards enforced by the FAA, making for “complex, collaborative work.”
“For engineers who love flight tech, this job offers altitude without leaving the ground and the satisfaction of helping planes fly smarter and safer,” the survey writes.
What are the coolest jobs in the nation?
Careers.io compares each of the top three from each state to each other and ranks them based on how cool they are. This year, the top 10 coolest careers according to Careers.io are:
- Animator for Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California
- Paleontologist for the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois
- Research Scientist for The Hershey Company in Hershey, Pennsylvania
- Wildlife Biologist for Yellowstone National Park in Yellowstone, Wyoming
- Marine Biologist for the NOAA Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center in Honolulu, Hawaii
- Designer for L.L.Bean in Freeport, Maine
- Principal Designer for Hasbro in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
- Product Development for Ben & Jerry’s in Waterbury, Vermont
- Meteorologist for the NOAA in Norman, Oklahoma
- Flight Director for Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas
With this top 10, Career.io says that the coolness of science jobs has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, since 2020, they have seen science careers in all areas begin to grow substantially.
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