Meteorologists can either work for the government or in the private sector. If they work for the government, they may be hired by a federal government agency or department, such as the National Weather Service, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Energy, a national laboratory, or the military; or, they could be hired by state, county, or city governments. Local governments hire meteorologists to monitor such things as air pollution and other environmental and resource management concerns.

In the private sector, meteorologists can find employment at television stations (including the popular The Weather Channel), airlines, universities, utility companies, climate research laboratories, meteorological equipment manufacturers, private research contractors and forecasting services, weather modification companies, private environmental organizations and companies, and even litigation support companies.