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Geologist vs field geologist

The differences between geologists and field 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 geologist and a field geologist. Additionally, a geologist has an average salary of $111,878, which is higher than the $109,947 average annual salary of a field geologist.

The top three skills for a geologist include oversight, OSHA and data collection. The most important skills for a field geologist are data collection, geotechnical, and well design.

Geologist vs field geologist overview

GeologistField Geologist
Yearly salary$111,878$109,947
Hourly rate$53.79$52.86
Growth rate5%5%
Number of jobs86945,359
Job satisfaction3.5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 79%Bachelor's Degree, 83%
Average age4545
Years of experience1212

What does a geologist do?

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.

What does a field geologist do?

A Field Geologist is specialized in a certain field of geology, such as minerology, paleontology, or geotechnology. They study the earth's crust to obtain an accurate picture of its structure, history, and composition.

Geologist vs field geologist salary

Geologists and field geologists have different pay scales, as shown below.

GeologistField Geologist
Average salary$111,878$109,947
Salary rangeBetween $63,000 And $196,000Between $65,000 And $185,000
Highest paying CityEl Paso, TX-
Highest paying stateTexas-
Best paying companyDevon Energy-
Best paying industryEnergy-

Differences between geologist and field geologist education

There are a few differences between a geologist and a field geologist in terms of educational background:

GeologistField Geologist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 79%Bachelor's Degree, 83%
Most common majorGeologyGeology
Most common collegeUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Geologist vs field geologist demographics

Here are the differences between geologists' and field geologists' demographics:

GeologistField Geologist
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 78.7% Female, 21.3%Male, 81.2% Female, 18.8%
Race ratioBlack 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, 0.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.3% Asian, 5.5% White, 82.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage4%4%

Differences between geologist and field geologist duties and responsibilities

Geologist example responsibilities.

  • Manage leach pad ore delivery to maximize and predict Au recovery.
  • Establish an LLC and learned the fundamentals of running and managing a small business.
  • Manage the installation of geophones, tiltmeters, inclinometers, passive vent wells, gas caps, and ORWs.
  • Manage task training and laboratory/field safety according to MSHA standards.
  • Manage, design and supervise geologic investigation drilling plans relate to environmental, geotechnical and mining projects.
  • Assist with geochemical and geophysical programs evaluating precious- and base-metal mineral exploration projects in Colorado, Arizona, and Wisconsin.
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Field geologist example responsibilities.

  • Establish an LLC and learned the fundamentals of running and managing a small business.
  • Prepare maps by positioning and plotting GPS points from localities find onto current geological maps.
  • Collect soil and rock samples and classify according to ASTM national guidelines.
  • Rely upon to handle geological rock samples classification and description with ASTM standards.
  • Interpret rate of penetration, gas data, and MWD gamma data to call formation tops.
  • Work in a team with geologists, MWD loggers, drillers, engineers, and practice safety procedures.
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Geologist vs field geologist skills

Common geologist skills
  • Oversight, 24%
  • OSHA, 7%
  • Data Collection, 6%
  • GIS, 5%
  • Surface Water, 4%
  • Data Analysis, 4%
Common field geologist skills
  • Data Collection, 11%
  • Geotechnical, 9%
  • Well Design, 7%
  • Site Assessments, 6%
  • Water Samples, 6%
  • Technical Reports, 5%

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