The average salary for a geologist in the United States is around $101,920 per year.
Avg Salary
Geologists earn an average yearly salary of $101,920.
Wages typically start from $59,330 and go up to $200,230.
66% above national average Updated in 2025
Geologist earnings by seniority
Top-level geologist earnings begin at:
$96.26 per hour
$200,230 per year
Senior-level geologist earnings begin at:
$67.01 per hour
$139,380 per year
Mid-level geologist earnings begin at:
$49.00 per hour
$101,920 per year
Junior-level geologist earnings begin at:
$36.11 per hour
$75,110 per year
Starting level geologist earnings begin at:
$28.52 per hour
$59,330 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Geologist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $99,890 |
| Oregon | $98,110 |
| Illinois | $96,950 |
| North Carolina | $95,260 |
| Florida | $95,140 |
| Delaware | $93,640 |
| Louisiana | $91,560 |
| Idaho | $91,170 |
| Utah | $89,990 |
| Alabama | $88,610 |
| New Mexico | $88,530 |
| New Jersey | $88,500 |
| Virginia | $88,390 |
| Vermont | $87,070 |
| Maine | $86,840 |
| New York | $86,410 |
| South Carolina | $86,070 |
| Nebraska | $85,550 |
| Arizona | $85,190 |
| Pennsylvania | $84,180 |
| North Dakota | $84,070 |
| Missouri | $83,390 |
| Ohio | $81,220 |
| Michigan | $80,990 |
| Minnesota | $80,540 |
| Kansas | $80,080 |
| Wisconsin | $78,610 |
| Tennessee | $77,870 |
| Kentucky | $77,510 |
| West Virginia | $76,060 |
| Montana | $75,520 |
| Puerto Rico | $75,030 |
| Wyoming | $74,910 |
| Iowa | $74,460 |
| Georgia | $73,920 |
| South Dakota | $71,150 |
| Indiana | $68,240 |
| Arkansas | $67,880 |
| Connecticut | $61,810 |
| Texas | $145,220 |
| Rhode Island | $121,010 |
| Oklahoma | $119,990 |
| District of Columbia | $119,790 |
| Colorado | $114,410 |
| Mississippi | $112,400 |
| Maryland | $110,510 |
| Massachusetts | $108,210 |
| Alaska | $107,410 |
| California | $106,500 |
| Hawaii | $106,270 |
| Washington | $105,020 |
| New Hampshire | $101,150 |
How much does a Geologist earn?
Geologists are employed in many sectors, such as environmental consulting companies, oil companies, governmental agencies, engineering firms and nonprofit organizations, as well as colleges and universities. Salaries vary widely among sectors.
The oil sector and the mineral resource sector are both willing to pay handsome salaries to new geologists. However, a large number of geologists choose to work in the environmental and government sectors, and these employers tend to pay 10% to 40% less because they are not in such a demand-driven market. Having said that, employment in the environmental and government sectors is often more stable than the prices of commodities.
Geologists with a Ph.D. can teach geology at colleges and universities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for a college professor of geology is $83,140, with the bottom 10 percentile making $42,590 and the top 10 percentile making $152,270. Colleges and universities pay an average of $92,850, while community colleges pay an average of $87,200.
How do geologist salaries compare to similar careers?
Geologists earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than astronomers but more than molecular biologists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Astronomer salary | $129K |
| Biochemist salary | $127K |
| Mathematician salary | $127K |
| Materials scientist salary | $118K |
| Nanotechnology engineer salary | $123K |
| Geologist salary | $102K |
| Statistician salary | $106K |
| Biostatistician salary | $106K |
| Scientist salary | $101K |
| Molecular biologist salary | $99K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)