Oil exploration and earthquake research are two major areas of employment for seismologists.
Because of the technology required to measure seismic vibrations and waves, seismology is a relatively new science. The Seismological Society of America estimates that the beginnings of modern seismology can be traced to the early 1900s, when scientists first began trying to measure and record earthquakes. Today's seismologists still perform those functions but also are interested in predicting earthquakes and other seismic activities. Seismologists also apply their skills for commercial purposes, such as performing exploration for the oil industry, where many seismologists are employed.
Education & Training
A bachelor's degree is the minimum required to become a seismologist, usually in an earth-science field such as geophysics, of which seismology is a branch. A master's degree is the minimum requirement for many field positions, and a Ph.D. usually is required for research jobs, academic work and teaching positions. Science, math and geology coursework is fundamental, as are advanced computer skills, considering that computers are an essential tool in seismological jobs.
National Salary Averages
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn't isolate salary data for seismologists, instead including the information in its "Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers" findings. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2009 report, the median salary for geoscientists is $81,220, with a middle 50th percentile median salary range of $56,280 to $117,040. The bottom 10th percentile median salary is $43,140 and the top 10th percentile figure is $161,260. The Schools in the USA website reports an entry-level salary for seismologists of $36,580, an average salary of $67,470 and a top salary of $133,310.
Experience Factors
As seismologists gain experience and their skills and responsibilities expand, salaries generally increase. Salary.com shows a 2011 median salary for a geophysicist II, with two to four years of experience, at $82,655. The low-end median salary is $64,030 and the top 10th percentile salary is $124,044. A geophysicist III, with four to six years on the job, earns a median salary of $107,427, with bottom and top 10th percentile median salaries of $76,239 and $160,314 respectively. Seismologists and other geophysicists with six to eight years of experience make median salaries of $119,999, bottom 10th percentile salaries of $91,993 and a top-end pay rate of $148,481 a year. Senior geophysicists earn a median salary of $148,723, with a bottom 10th percentile wage of $133,049 a year and a high-end salary of $163,620.
Location
It's no surprise that the highest-paying areas in the U.S. for seismologists are in oil-producing and mining states. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the top four states for seismologist wages as Texas, Alaska, Colorado and Oklahoma, with average salaries of $127,250, $104,410, $99,590 and $96,290, respectively. Washington, D.C., where the federal government employs many scientists, pays an average salary of $107,160. Cities and metropolitan areas with the highest seismologist wages also are located in oil-producing areas - namely Texas - and in California, where earthquake research is prominent. The Texas areas of Midland, Houston, Corpus Christi and Fort Worth pay four of the five highest average salary rates in the country at $142,250, $138,370, $123,810 and $120,820, respectively. Bakersfield, Calif., pays an average salary of $122,160.
Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a rapid job-growth rate -18 percent - for geoscientists through 2018. The outlook is especially bright for those who have master's degrees and perform field work. Competition is expected to be fierce among Ph.D.s who are looking for research and teaching positions. Although mining and oil-related jobs tend to be cyclical and are sensitive to economic changes, environmental jobs should be abundant, many of them provided through federal and state government agencies.
Tags: median salary, 10th percentile, average salary, bottom 10th, bottom 10th percentile, Bureau Labor, Bureau Labor Statistics
