Geologists spend a good deal of time at remote locations and in other countries.
As a type of geoscientists, geologists study the history of the earth and its composition. Whether they're uncovering rock formations in remote areas or reviewing research findings in a lab, geologists analyze animal and plant fossils to understand how life evolved. These scientists can pursue several specialties, including petroleum geology, which focuses on oil and gas exploration, and engineering geology, which applies geologic principles to different types of civil and environmental engineering. Factors affecting salary include type of employer and years of experience.
General Salary Data
Geologists earn a median annual salary of $81,220 as of 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which reports geologist data under the broader classification of geoscientist. Another reporting site, PayScale, cites a salary range of $42,348 to $61,919 as of December 2010. With bonus pay and profit sharing, that range climbs to $62,157 at the high end, according to PayScale, while the BLS says that the highest paid geologists can exceed $161,000 in annual compensation.
Salary by Employer
Government geologists and those engaged in oil exploration make the most money. Salary data vary, with PayScale reporting a 2010 range of $43,638 to $86,981 per year for federally employed geologists, and the BLS citing the average salary for a federal government position as $94,085 in 2009. Meanwhile, geologists working in oil and gas extraction make a mean salary of $136,270, according to 2009 data from the BLS data. Employers in the government sector often pay up to 40 percent more for geologist positions than other employers, including colleges and universities, according to Geology.com.
Salary by Experience
Years of experience play a large role in compensation. Geologists working for less than one year earn an average of $34,499 to $51,998 as of 2010, according to PayScale, while those in the field five to nine years make $46,690 to $62,176. After the 20-year mark salaries typically exceed $96,000. Those with the most experience can advance to higher paying positions such as project leader, program manager or senior researcher, according to the BLS.
Job and Salary Outlook
The number of geoscientist positions, which includes geologists, is expected to rise 18 percent over a 10-year period, to 39,400 in 2018 from 33,600 in 2008, according to the BLS. While a Bachelor of Science degree is enough to land an entry-level geologist position earning a median salary of nearly $40,000, according to Salary.com, graduates with a master's degree will be more marketable, especially those seeking jobs with consulting and oil firms. The demand for geologists is greater than in other business areas, according to Geology.com, and the long-term outlook for both positions and salaries is good.
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