Geology is an earth science discipline that has many different specialties, such as paleontology, meteorology, mineralogy and natural resource research. First-year geologist salaries are affected by academic degree, the specific geology industry and the world commodities market, if the geologist works in the oil and mining industry.
Educational Level
The salary of a first-year geologist is greatly affected by what his educational level is. Undergraduate geologists are limited mainly to technician work. Master's and Ph.D degree holders have more opportunities as a first-year geologist, as well as higher starting salaries.
Location
Location is very important when it comes to geology salaries. If you live in an area with plenty of mining and oil companies, geological sites and surveys or natural resources, the job market and salaries tend to be healthier. Limited opportunities exist for geologists who live outside these areas.
Salaries
Geologist salaries vary by their specializations as well as specific industry. Geology.com reports that starting geologists in the oil and mining industry earn an average of $83,000 a year with zero to two years' experience. Payscale reports an average between $44,000 and $62,000. The AAPG reports that petrologists have a low-end salary of $70,000 and a high end of $99,800. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median overall for geologists is $79,160 as of May 2008. It also reports that the average salary for technician related jobs, common for entry level geologists, have a median salary of $55,527.
Industries
The BLS reports a number of salary figures based on the industry that geologists are working in. Oil and gas extraction have the highest median income at $127,560. The next highest is in the federal market at $90,220, which covers geologists working in departments such as the United States Geologic Survey and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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