SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Study the composition, structure, and other physical aspects of the Earth. May use geological, physics, and mathematics knowledge in exploration for oil, gas, minerals, or underground water; or in waste disposal, land reclamation, or other environmental problems. May study the Earth’s internal composition, atmospheres, and oceans, and its magnetic, electrical, and gravitational forces. Includes mineralogists, paleontologists, stratigraphers, geodesists, and seismologists.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 19-2042.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $59,330 | $4,944 | $1,141 | $28.52 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $75,110 | $6,259 | $1,444 | $36.11 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $101,920 | $8,493 | $1,960 | $49.00 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $139,380 | $11,615 | $2,680 | $67.01 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $200,230 | $16,686 | $3,851 | $96.26 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers is $101,920, which is 100% higher. Among the 48 occupations of the field Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks number 14 by median pay. With 23,470 jobs, it makes up about 1.5 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($116,150) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers pay by state
The highest median pay was in Texas ($145,220), Rhode Island ($121,010) and Oklahoma ($119,990). The lowest was in Connecticut ($61,810), Arkansas ($67,880) and Indiana ($68,240). The most jobs were in Texas (4,900), California (3,350) and Colorado (1,480). The occupation is most concentrated in Alaska, where its share of all jobs is 8.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 4,900 | $145,220 | $160,070 | $69.82 |
| Rhode Island | not published | $121,010 | $119,270 | $58.18 |
| Oklahoma | 770 | $119,990 | $123,090 | $57.69 |
| Colorado | 1,480 | $114,410 | $132,120 | $55.00 |
| Mississippi | 250 | $112,400 | $115,470 | $54.04 |
| Maryland | 390 | $110,510 | $114,240 | $53.13 |
| Massachusetts | 420 | $108,210 | $133,880 | $52.03 |
| Alaska | 430 | $107,410 | $118,750 | $51.64 |
| California | 3,350 | $106,500 | $108,910 | $51.20 |
| Hawaii | 110 | $106,270 | $106,100 | $51.09 |
| Washington | 840 | $105,020 | $117,140 | $50.49 |
| New Hampshire | not published | $101,150 | $98,390 | $48.63 |
| Nevada | 520 | $99,890 | $106,850 | $48.02 |
| Oregon | 380 | $98,110 | $103,270 | $47.17 |
| Illinois | 410 | $96,950 | $109,290 | $46.61 |
| North Carolina | 570 | $95,260 | $100,170 | $45.80 |
| Florida | 660 | $95,140 | $103,290 | $45.74 |
| Delaware | 110 | $93,640 | $93,330 | $45.02 |
| Louisiana | 440 | $91,560 | $100,990 | $44.02 |
| Idaho | 130 | $91,170 | $104,530 | $43.83 |
| Utah | 300 | $89,990 | $97,600 | $43.26 |
| Alabama | 110 | $88,610 | $89,960 | $42.60 |
| New Mexico | 160 | $88,530 | $94,290 | $42.56 |
| New Jersey | 300 | $88,500 | $93,180 | $42.55 |
| Virginia | 300 | $88,390 | $105,120 | $42.49 |
| Vermont | not published | $87,070 | $93,070 | $41.86 |
| Maine | 70 | $86,840 | $91,660 | $41.75 |
| New York | 600 | $86,410 | $97,780 | $41.54 |
| South Carolina | 230 | $86,070 | $91,120 | $41.38 |
| Nebraska | 110 | $85,550 | $87,510 | $41.13 |
| Arizona | 550 | $85,190 | $90,240 | $40.96 |
| Pennsylvania | 910 | $84,180 | $92,830 | $40.47 |
| North Dakota | 100 | $84,070 | $92,300 | $40.42 |
| Missouri | 260 | $83,390 | $91,250 | $40.09 |
| Ohio | 410 | $81,220 | $86,230 | $39.05 |
| Michigan | 320 | $80,990 | $86,420 | $38.94 |
| Minnesota | 240 | $80,540 | $92,530 | $38.72 |
| Kansas | 190 | $80,080 | $90,000 | $38.50 |
| Wisconsin | 110 | $78,610 | $88,150 | $37.79 |
| Tennessee | 230 | $77,870 | $84,130 | $37.44 |
| Kentucky | 170 | $77,510 | $79,810 | $37.27 |
| West Virginia | 90 | $76,060 | $83,010 | $36.57 |
| Montana | 210 | $75,520 | $85,330 | $36.31 |
| Wyoming | 220 | $74,910 | $80,550 | $36.01 |
| Iowa | 40 | $74,460 | $77,720 | $35.80 |
| Georgia | 340 | $73,920 | $85,320 | $35.54 |
| South Dakota | 80 | $71,150 | $72,030 | $34.21 |
| Indiana | 270 | $68,240 | $76,640 | $32.81 |
| Arkansas | 70 | $67,880 | $76,830 | $32.64 |
| Connecticut | not published | $61,810 | $67,580 | $29.72 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Sociologists$106,030 a year
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$103,410 a year
- Geographers$102,040 a year
- Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$101,110 a year
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$100,580 a year
- Atmospheric and Space Scientists$99,070 a year
Common questions
How much do Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $101,920 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $59,330 and the highest-paid 10% more than $200,230.
How many people work as Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers?
About 23,470 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.