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The differences between development geologists and petroleum geologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a development geologist and a petroleum geologist. Additionally, a petroleum geologist has an average salary of $111,574, which is higher than the $110,970 average annual salary of a development geologist.
The top three skills for a development geologist include reservoir characterization, AFE and production data. The most important skills for a petroleum geologist are log data, well-site, and GIS.
| Development Geologist | Petroleum Geologist | |
| Yearly salary | $110,970 | $111,574 |
| Hourly rate | $53.35 | $53.64 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 45,844 | 1,291 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A Development Geologist is responsible for geological static modeling and database management. They report best-practice technological advances to management.
A Petroleum Geologist is responsible for the extraction and estimation of oil, gas, and other combustible resources. They estimate the depth, quality, and vastness of deposits using a wide range of sophisticated technologies.
Development geologists and petroleum geologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Development Geologist | Petroleum Geologist | |
| Average salary | $110,970 | $111,574 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $171,000 | Between $70,000 And $176,000 |
| Highest paying City | The Woodlands, TX | Houston, TX |
| Highest paying state | Texas | Texas |
| Best paying company | Chevron | ConocoPhillips |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Energy |
There are a few differences between a development geologist and a petroleum geologist in terms of educational background:
| Development Geologist | Petroleum Geologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Geology | Geology |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between development geologists' and petroleum geologists' demographics:
| Development Geologist | Petroleum Geologist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.6% Asian, 4.0% White, 83.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 0.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.2% Asian, 4.9% White, 82.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |