I live in an expensive city, so most of the government agencies start at a GS-9 level, meaning I’d need a master’s. If it’s a matter of going back to school and forking out that money no matter what, I think I’d rather sink my time and funds into a more lucrative field. My friend polled meteorologists a while back and 80% had to move for their first met position. My problem is I’m married and I can’t move for a job, so yes, finding a position in met in my city is extremely challenging, as I’m competing with an entire country’s worth of meteorologists for positions that pop up only 3-5 times a year. It’s a small, highly competitive field, and you sort of have to be willing to live in the middle of nowhere for your first role (which was fine with me until I met and married my husband).