Petrology, the study of how rocks form, is a branch of geology.
Geology professors teach at small, private colleges, two-year community colleges, and large public universities. They may be asked to teach general education courses in earth science and present an introduction to geology. They may also work in university-based research programs funded by the government or major corporations, and conduct independent research. The median salary of all geology professors in the U.S. was $68,480 in May, 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Median Salary
On average, salaries for geology professors are higher at state colleges and universities than they are at private colleges. According to the BLS, the median annual salary for a geology professor at a state-funded college or university was $71,520 as of 2010. Geology professors at private colleges or university earned an average of $57,350, states the BLS. The average annual salary for geology professors was $65,000 as of 2011, according to Indeed.com.
Salary Range
The BLS reports that geology professors in the 10th percentile of salary earned $40,960 per year in 2010, while those in the 90th percentile earned $120,520. Professors teaching at private colleges had a salary range of $42,510 to $100,400, the BLS reported. At public colleges and universities, which includes community colleges, the 10th percentile of geology professors received $40,630, while the 90th percentile earned $125,440, according to the BLS.
Individual Colleges
In September 2011, two assistant professors of geology at Ball State University reported monthly salaries of $4,283 and $4,636 at Glassdoor.com. At the University of Wyoming, assistant professors of geoscience earned between $57,000 and $71,000 a year, according to Glassdoor.com. An assistant professor at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, reported a salary of $39,000 in September 2011 on Glassdoor.com.
Title and Tenure
Lecturers and visiting professors of geology receive lower salaries than assistant, associate and full professors. Tenured professors also tend to receive higher salaries than non-tenured faculty. Geology professors also receive stipends for research and other duties, including assisting with departmental administration or faculty committees. In September 2011, a visiting assistant professor at Earlham College reported earning $41,000 to $45,000 a year, while a non-visiting assistant professor at Texas Christian University earned $68,000 to $72,000 according to Glassdoor.com.
Tags: geology professors, private colleges, assistant professor, salary geology, September 2011, 10th percentile, 90th percentile
