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The differences between geologists and geographers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a geologist has an average salary of $111,878, which is higher than the $65,339 average annual salary of a geographer.
The top three skills for a geologist include oversight, OSHA and data collection. The most important skills for a geographer are spatial data, arcgis, and remote sensing.
| Geologist | Geographer | |
| Yearly salary | $111,878 | $65,339 |
| Hourly rate | $53.79 | $31.41 |
| Growth rate | 5% | - |
| Number of jobs | 869 | 1,646 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
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.
A geographer studies nature, land, and the earth's features. They gather geographic data through aerial field observations, maps, and satellite images. They conduct research through surveys, interviews, and other qualitative methods. They present the results of their research findings by writing reports. They may also advise others in using GIS, remote sensing, and GPS.
Geologists and geographers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Geologist | Geographer | |
| Average salary | $111,878 | $65,339 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $196,000 | Between $45,000 And $93,000 |
| Highest paying City | El Paso, TX | Arlington, VA |
| Highest paying state | Texas | Virginia |
| Best paying company | Devon Energy | CoreLogic |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Government |
There are a few differences between a geologist and a geographer in terms of educational background:
| Geologist | Geographer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Geology | Geography |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between geologists' and geographers' demographics:
| Geologist | Geographer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.7% Female, 21.3% | Male, 74.2% Female, 25.8% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 8.1% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 11% |