How much does a geologist make?
a year · about $49 an hour
A typical geologist in the United States makes $101,920 a year, about $49 an hour, about 2× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
A geologist may hike a rocky site, map the land, and collect rock or soil samples. Later, they test samples in a lab, study data on a computer, and write a report about what they found.
Did you know? Some geoscientists spend months away from home: oceanographers may stay aboard research ships, while paleontologists work for long periods in remote areas.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $59,330 and $200,230How do you become one?
In the U.S., earn a bachelor’s degree in geoscience or a related field, and build field and lab experience; a college internship can help. Most states require geologists who serve the public to meet education and experience rules and pass an exam for a license.
School needed: Usually a bachelor's degree
Good for people who like figuring things out and building and doing
Why does pay differ?
Geologists in the U.S. may earn more with experience, advanced study, or a state license, and pay changes with employer, location, and specialty. Mining and oil-and-gas roles can pay differently from government or consulting jobs; remote field trips and long, irregular hours can matter too.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Texas ($145,220), lowest in Pennsylvania ($84,180).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $59,330 | $101,920 | $200,230 | about 23,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | $145,220 | about 5,000 |
| Oklahoma | $119,990 | about 770 |
| Colorado | $114,410 | about 1,000 |
| California | $106,500 | about 3,000 |
| Washington | $105,020 | about 840 |
Official definition: Study the composition, structure, and other physical aspects of the Earth. May use geological, physics, and mathematics knowledge in exploration for oil, gas, minerals, or underground water; or in waste disposal, land reclamation, or other environmental problems. May study the Earth’s internal composition, atmospheres, and oceans, and its magnetic, electrical, and gravitational forces. Includes mineralogists, paleontologists, stratigraphers, geodesists, and seismologists.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/print/geoscientists.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/19-2042.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY