Career
Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
Study the earth: rocks, water and what lies beneath.
$101,920
Median pay
+5.1%
Job growth, 2025–35
1,800
Openings a year
Bachelor's degree
Typical education
4 years
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Locate and review research articles or environmental, historical, or technical reports.
- Communicate geological findings by writing research papers, participating in conferences, or teaching geological science at universities.
- Plan or conduct geological, geochemical, or geophysical field studies or surveys, sample collection, or drilling and testing programs used to collect data for research or application.
- Prepare geological maps, cross-sectional diagrams, charts, or reports concerning mineral extraction, land use, or resource management, using results of fieldwork or laboratory research.
- Analyze and interpret geological data, using computer software.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on ideas & analysis, then objects & tools?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Locate and review research articles or environmental, historical, or technical reports.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Reading Comprehension, Science, Writing, Critical Thinking.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
4 years of education after high school (bachelor's degree), for a median of $101,920 a year and 1,800 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Geology and Earth SciencesSee the degree →
- Marine SciencesCIP 30.3201
- Earth Systems ScienceCIP 30.3801
- Environmental GeosciencesCIP 30.4101
- GeoarcheaologyCIP 30.4201
- GeobiologyCIP 30.4301
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Hydrologists$96,600 · +1.5%
- Industrial Ecologists
- Conservation Scientists$73,010 · +5.3%
- Soil and Plant Scientists$78,850 · +6.7%
- Geographers$102,040 · -2.1%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.