How much do geologists make in 2026?
Geologists are counted in the BLS geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers series: OEWS May 2025 gives SOC 19-2042 a national median of $101,920 a year ($49.00 an hour), with the bottom 10% near $59,330 and the top 10% at $200,230 across 23,470 workers. That is one of the widest bands among scientific occupations, and sector explains it. Petroleum geology pays at the top — the $200,230 upper decile is substantially a reflection of oil and gas employment — and it is also the most cyclical, with hiring and redundancy following commodity prices closely. Mining and exploration geology sits above the median with its own commodity cycle, currently supported by demand for copper, lithium and critical minerals. Environmental and engineering geology, which employs a large share of the profession, sits around and below the median and is far steadier. Government survey and regulatory geology pays below the private sector with the usual public sector compensations. Licensing matters in this profession in a way it does not in many sciences: a majority of states license Professional Geologists, and in those states certain reports and interpretations must be sealed by one, which makes the licence a genuine gate rather than a credential. Employment is projected to grow 3.2% through 2034 with roughly 2,000 openings a year. → Full geologist career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $101,920 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Geologists earn a national median $101,920/yr ($49.00/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 19-2042); the P10 to P90 range is $59,330 to $200,230.
- Sector explains almost all of the $59,330 to $200,230 spread: petroleum at the top and most cyclical, mining above the median, environmental and engineering geology around and below it but far steadier.
- A majority of states license Professional Geologists, and where they do, certain reports must be sealed by one — that makes the licence a genuine gate rather than an optional credential.
- Commodity cycles drive hiring in the best-paid sectors, so career resilience comes from skills that transfer between petroleum, mining and environmental work.
US Geologist Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do geologists earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 19-2042; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 19-2042, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does a geologist earn at each career stage?
Geology pay follows sector first and licensure second. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 19-2042.
By State
Which states pay geologists the most in 2026?
These are modeled state estimates — the national geoscientist median scaled by the GlobalCybers state wage index — not BLS state observations. Geology pay depends far more on the resource base and sector of a state than on its general wage level, and Professional Geologist licensing requirements differ state by state.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($117,210), the highest-paying state shown. See all role salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay geologists the most?
Modeled metro estimates: the national median scaled by the state wage index and then by that state's published metro index. They estimate local wage levels and are not BLS metropolitan-area observations. Petroleum and mining geology concentrates in a small number of corporate centres while the fieldwork itself is remote.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise a geologist’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does geologist pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Geologists sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify geologist wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does a geologist actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Geologist Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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