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Geological specialist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a geological specialist. Geological specialists usually study geology, natural resources management, or engineering. 69% of geological specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 44 real geological specialist resumes to see exactly what geological specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for geological specialists are the Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and the Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.
There are also many online geological specialist courses to help get the education required to be a geological specialist.
What education do you need to become a geological specialist?
What degree do you need to be a geological specialist?
- Bachelor's, 69%
- Master's, 17%
- Doctorate, 6%
- Associate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a geological specialist?
- Geology, 55%
- Engineering, 5%
- Geography, 5%
- Other Majors, 30%
Most common colleges for geological specialists
| Geological specialist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | 8.70% |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | 8.70% |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver | 8.70% |
| Indiana Institute of Technology | 4.35% |
| Western Illinois University | 4.35% |
Best majors for geological specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geology | 55.3% |
| 2 | Natural Resources Management | 5.3% |
| 3 | Engineering | 5.3% |
| 4 | Geography | 5.3% |
| 5 | Law | 2.6% |
Best colleges for geological specialists
The best colleges for geological specialists are Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis, and Yale University.
A geological specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for geological specialists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become geological specialists.
1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
2. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
3. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
4. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
5. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
7. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
8. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
9. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
10. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
20 best online courses for geological specialists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for geological specialists
The most affordable schools for geological specialists are Florida International University, california state university - bakersfield, and city college of new york of the city university of new york, the.
If the best universities for geological specialists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for geological specialists.
1. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
8. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
9. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
10. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for geological specialists
The hardest universities for geological specialists to get into are Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis, and Yale University.
Some great schools for geological specialists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for geological specialists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
3. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,488
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for geological specialists
The easiest schools for geological specialists to get into are Pennsylvania State University - DuBois, texas a&m; university - kingsville, and oregon institute of technology.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a geological specialist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for geological specialists.
1. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois
DuBois, PA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,079
2. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
3. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
4. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,093
5. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
6. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
7. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
8. Lamar University
Beaumont, TX • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,043
9. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
10. Hardin-Simmons University
Abilene, TX • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,085
Average geological specialist salary by education level
| Geological specialist education level | Geological specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $72,122 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $61,075 |
| Doctorate Degree | $81,685 |
Geological specialist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025