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The differences between geologists and excavators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a geologist, becoming an excavator takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a geologist has an average salary of $111,878, which is higher than the $48,403 average annual salary of an excavator.
The top three skills for a geologist include oversight, OSHA and data collection. The most important skills for an excavator are asphalt, CDL, and hand tools.
| Geologist | Excavator | |
| Yearly salary | $111,878 | $48,403 |
| Hourly rate | $53.79 | $23.27 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 869 | 521 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
Geologists and excavators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Geologist | Excavator | |
| Average salary | $111,878 | $48,403 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $196,000 | Between $36,000 And $65,000 |
| Highest paying City | El Paso, TX | - |
| Highest paying state | Texas | - |
| Best paying company | Devon Energy | - |
| Best paying industry | Energy | - |
There are a few differences between a geologist and an excavator in terms of educational background:
| Geologist | Excavator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Most common major | Geology | Anthropology |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | - |
Here are the differences between geologists' and excavators' demographics:
| Geologist | Excavator | |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.7% Female, 21.3% | Male, 82.3% Female, 17.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 2.5% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 2% |