Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between ecologists and geologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an ecologist, becoming a geologist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a geologist has an average salary of $111,878, which is higher than the $50,369 average annual salary of an ecologist.
The top three skills for an ecologist include data collection, GPS and GIS. The most important skills for a geologist are oversight, OSHA, and data collection.
| Ecologist | Geologist | |
| Yearly salary | $50,369 | $111,878 |
| Hourly rate | $24.22 | $53.79 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 7,026 | 869 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 40 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
An ecologist is responsible for studying the ecosystem components and the interaction between humans and nature. Ecologists analyze the organisms' roles within an environment to identify solutions in solving nature issues and environmental concerns. They conduct data analysis and field investigations to support their claims, writing methodological studies, and strategizing techniques in minimizing the impact of human activities on the stability of the ecosystem. An ecologist presents the findings on research colloquiums and conferences, highlighting conservation plans and project models for environmental sustainability.
A Geologist studies the composition, structure, and history of the earth's crust. They may work for private industries, the federal government, colleges and universities, or museums.
Ecologists and geologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Ecologist | Geologist | |
| Average salary | $50,369 | $111,878 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $76,000 | Between $63,000 And $196,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fresno, CA | El Paso, TX |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Texas |
| Best paying company | Volkert | Devon Energy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between an ecologist and a geologist in terms of educational background:
| Ecologist | Geologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Biology | Geology |
| Most common college | University of California - Davis | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between ecologists' and geologists' demographics:
| Ecologist | Geologist | |
| Average age | 40 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.5% Female, 35.5% | Male, 78.7% Female, 21.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 72.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 1.0% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 4.9% White, 81.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 4% |