Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between geologists and geological specialists 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 geological specialist. Additionally, a geologist has an average salary of $111,878, which is higher than the $63,259 average annual salary of a geological specialist.
The top three skills for a geologist include oversight, OSHA and data collection. The most important skills for a geological specialist are GIS, technical support, and meeting materials.
| Geologist | Geological Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $111,878 | $63,259 |
| Hourly rate | $53.79 | $30.41 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 869 | 19,801 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Geologists and geological specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Geologist | Geological Specialist | |
| Average salary | $111,878 | $63,259 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $196,000 | Between $39,000 And $101,000 |
| 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 a geological specialist in terms of educational background:
| Geologist | Geological Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Geology | Geology |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between geologists' and geological specialists' demographics:
| Geologist | Geological Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.7% Female, 21.3% | Male, 76.3% Female, 23.7% |
| 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, 0.5% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 5.3% Asian, 2.7% White, 86.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |