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What is a consulting geologist and how to become one
Fans of 'The Big Bang Theory' will recognize this profession. It's often the butt of the joke for the 'hot shot scientists' on the show. But don't let the sitcom fool you. Consulting geologists play a critical role when it matters most. For example, they assess geologic hazards like landslides, earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic eruptions.
By assessing potential dangers, they make it, so critical facilities like hospitals and fire stations are safe to function during these moments of emergency. Depending on the field, a consulting geologist may also work in engineering to ensure that structures can hold up to nature's forecasted forces.
If consulting geologists' jobs sound complicated, that's because it is. To become one of these environmental rockstars, you'll need a bachelor's and an advanced degree in geology or related fields, a practicing license, and perhaps some voluntary certification. These professionals can consult for private projects as well as governmental policies.
What general advice would you give to a consulting geologist?
Loren Babcock PhD
Professor, School of Earth Sciences and Director, Orton Geological Museum, Ohio State University
Avg. Salary $112,160
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 5%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.63%
Asian 3.66%
Black or African American 1.14%
Hispanic or Latino 6.99%
Unknown 4.82%
White 82.77%
Genderfemale 13.23%
male 86.77%
Age - 44American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 44Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
Consulting geologist career paths
Key steps to become a consulting geologist
Explore consulting geologist education requirements
Start to develop specific consulting geologist skills
Skills Percentages GIS 20.16% Technical Reports 16.13% Geotechnical 6.92% Data Collection 5.51% Data Interpretation 5.45% Complete relevant consulting geologist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New consulting geologists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a consulting geologist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real consulting geologist resumes.Research consulting geologist duties and responsibilities
- Manage task training and laboratory/field safety according to MSHA standards.
- Work on projects in both oil and gas and environmental consulting using GIS base software, maintain database in Petra
- Used Petra for mapping purposes and cross-sections.
- Support Petra, SMT-Kingdom projects and software.
Prepare your consulting geologist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your consulting geologist resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a consulting geologist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable consulting geologist resume templates
Build a professional consulting geologist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your consulting geologist resume.
Apply for consulting geologist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a consulting geologist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first consulting geologist job
Are you a consulting geologist?
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Average consulting geologist salary
The average consulting geologist salary in the United States is $112,160 per year or $54 per hour. Consulting geologist salaries range between $65,000 and $191,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do consulting geologists rate their job?
Consulting geologist reviews
Understanding the earth and finding solution to problems caused by humans.
Hard to find a job.
not much.
Inconsistent working schedule, have to fight for billable work against other geologists within my company, insanely long hours, travel to mostly unsafe areas.
Low paying job if you work for a small company
Updated January 8, 2025
