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Best states for an exploration geologist
Quoted expert
Dr. Arlo Weil
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you thinking of becoming an exploration geologist and really want to work at Exxon Mobil? Turns out, your chances to become an exploration geologist are better in some states than others.We wanted to look at the best states for exploration geologists -- where there are plenty of exploration geologist jobs to go around and exploration geologists get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
We figured that the best places for exploration geologist jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.If you are currently seeking employment as an exploration geologist, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for exploration geologists in 2026
1. California
Total exploration geologist jobs: 52 Average annual salary: $123,532 Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $201,000 Location Quotient: 2.21
2. Nevada
Total exploration geologist jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $99,136 Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $168,000 Location Quotient: 8.32
3. Louisiana
Total exploration geologist jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $113,962 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $191,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
4. Texas
Total exploration geologist jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $124,979 Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $205,000 Location Quotient: 0.55
5. West Virginia
Total exploration geologist jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $92,930 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $163,000 Location Quotient: 3.26
6. Idaho
Total exploration geologist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $97,440 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $166,000 Location Quotient: 1.51
7. Pennsylvania
Total exploration geologist jobs: 15 Average annual salary: $93,411 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $162,000 Location Quotient: 1.6
8. Hawaii
Total exploration geologist jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $109,242 Lowest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $161,000 Location Quotient: 5.93
9. Virginia
Total exploration geologist jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $107,143 Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $183,000 Location Quotient: 0.79
10. Oklahoma
Total exploration geologist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $110,794 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $189,000 Location Quotient: 0
Exploration geologist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an exploration geologist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an exploration geologist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $123,532 | $75,000 | 39,536,653 | 52 |
| 2 | Nevada | $99,136 | $58,000 | 2,998,039 | 14 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $113,962 | $67,000 | 4,684,333 | 3 |
| 4 | Texas | $124,979 | $75,000 | 28,304,596 | 9 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $92,930 | $52,000 | 1,815,857 | 4 |
| 6 | Idaho | $97,440 | $56,000 | 1,716,943 | 2 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $93,411 | $53,000 | 12,805,537 | 15 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $109,242 | $73,000 | 1,427,538 | 4 |
| 9 | Virginia | $107,143 | $62,000 | 8,470,020 | 6 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | $110,794 | $64,000 | 3,930,864 | 0 |
| 11 | Maine | $101,180 | $59,000 | 1,335,907 | 0 |
| 12 | Alaska | $95,710 | $59,000 | 739,795 | 3 |
| 13 | Washington | $96,953 | $57,000 | 7,405,743 | 6 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $92,668 | $54,000 | 1,059,639 | 1 |
| 15 | Colorado | $92,405 | $52,000 | 5,607,154 | 9 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $90,573 | $52,000 | 1,342,795 | 2 |
| 17 | South Carolina | $95,277 | $55,000 | 5,024,369 | 0 |
| 18 | Alabama | $92,869 | $53,000 | 4,874,747 | 0 |
| 19 | Ohio | $91,459 | $52,000 | 11,658,609 | 3 |
| 20 | Montana | $86,329 | $50,000 | 1,050,493 | 5 |
| 21 | Tennessee | $86,768 | $49,000 | 6,715,984 | 5 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $85,720 | $48,000 | 4,454,189 | 4 |
| 23 | Michigan | $88,376 | $50,000 | 9,962,311 | 3 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $88,511 | $50,000 | 9,005,644 | 9 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $91,991 | $53,000 | 6,859,819 | 2 |
| 26 | New York | $88,557 | $50,000 | 19,849,399 | 10 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $91,409 | $52,000 | 3,588,184 | 0 |
| 28 | Delaware | $89,702 | $51,000 | 961,939 | 0 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $81,485 | $48,000 | 755,393 | 1 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $85,592 | $48,000 | 2,984,100 | 1 |
| 31 | Arizona | $81,035 | $47,000 | 7,016,270 | 8 |
| 32 | Maryland | $88,517 | $50,000 | 6,052,177 | 3 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $82,505 | $47,000 | 2,088,070 | 1 |
| 34 | Vermont | $86,514 | $49,000 | 623,657 | 0 |
| 35 | Utah | $81,817 | $46,000 | 3,101,833 | 2 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $88,499 | $50,000 | 693,972 | 0 |
| 37 | Florida | $84,213 | $49,000 | 20,984,400 | 7 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $80,736 | $46,000 | 869,666 | 0 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $80,809 | $46,000 | 579,315 | 0 |
| 40 | Kansas | $72,912 | $41,000 | 2,913,123 | 2 |
| 41 | Oregon | $80,645 | $46,000 | 4,142,776 | 1 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $66,693 | $38,000 | 1,920,076 | 2 |
| 43 | Minnesota | $77,224 | $44,000 | 5,576,606 | 2 |
| 44 | Georgia | $67,869 | $38,000 | 10,429,379 | 9 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $60,690 | $34,000 | 5,795,483 | 6 |
| 46 | Illinois | $71,791 | $40,000 | 12,802,023 | 4 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $65,622 | $37,000 | 10,273,419 | 6 |
| 48 | Iowa | $67,894 | $38,000 | 3,145,711 | 0 |
| 49 | Missouri | $68,999 | $39,000 | 6,113,532 | 0 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $66,176 | $37,000 | 3,004,279 | 0 |
| 51 | Indiana | $60,022 | $33,000 | 6,666,818 | 4 |
Highest paying states for exploration geologists
| Rank | State | Avg. Exploration Geologist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $123,532 |
| 2 | Nevada | $99,136 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $113,962 |
| 4 | Texas | $124,979 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $92,930 |
| 6 | Idaho | $97,440 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $93,411 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $109,242 |
| 9 | Virginia | $107,143 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | $110,794 |
| 11 | Maine | $101,180 |
| 12 | Alaska | $95,710 |
| 13 | Washington | $96,953 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $92,668 |
| 15 | Colorado | $92,405 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $90,573 |
| 17 | South Carolina | $95,277 |
| 18 | Alabama | $92,869 |
| 19 | Ohio | $91,459 |
| 20 | Montana | $86,329 |
| 21 | Tennessee | $86,768 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $85,720 |
| 23 | Michigan | $88,376 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $88,511 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $91,991 |
| 26 | New York | $88,557 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $91,409 |
| 28 | Delaware | $89,702 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $81,485 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $85,592 |
| 31 | Arizona | $81,035 |
| 32 | Maryland | $88,517 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $82,505 |
| 34 | Vermont | $86,514 |
| 35 | Utah | $81,817 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $88,499 |
| 37 | Florida | $84,213 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $80,736 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $80,809 |
| 40 | Kansas | $72,912 |
| 41 | Oregon | $80,645 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $66,693 |
| 43 | Minnesota | $77,224 |
| 44 | Georgia | $67,869 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $60,690 |
| 46 | Illinois | $71,791 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $65,622 |
| 48 | Iowa | $67,894 |
| 49 | Missouri | $68,999 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $66,176 |
| 51 | Indiana | $60,022 |
Expert opinions on the best states for exploration geologists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for exploration geologists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Arlo Weil
Department Chair, Bryn Mawr College
Due to the many different directions a geology major can go, any place really is a good place for a job, though obviously, the current pandemic is causing restrictions in hiring. Environmental consulting jobs are ubiquitous and are often a good starting point in the professional geologist track. If one is more interested in the petroleum and/or mining industries, then obviously, the areas of active exploration are more limited. Policy, public planning, hazard mitigation, education, government, and nonprofit work provide further opportunities for geologists.
Exploration geologist best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025